One of the longest partnerships in the video game space is coming to and end. EA Sports and FIFA were unable to come to an agreement that would’ve extended a nearly three-decade partnership and are splitting up, according to The New York Times.
The biggest change is that EA Sports’ soccer franchise will be called EA Sports FC when the next installment is released.
Over the course of FIFA’s partnership with EA Sports, the video game franchise generated over $20 billion in sales in the past two decades.
“The introduction of EA Sports FC will not impact any current EA Sports global football games, and EA and FIFA are excited to deliver the greatest, most expansive EA Sports FIFA ever later this fall,” EA Sports said in a statement.
The current deal was slated to wrap up following the 2022 World Cup, which will take place in Qatar in November. However, now that’s been adjusted to include the Women’s World Cup in the summer of 2023. Once the Women’s World Cup concludes in 2023, the new era of EA Sports FC will begin.
The good news for FIFA fans is that the video game itself isn’t expected to change too much. Users will still be able to play with Champions and Premier League clubs due to separate licensing deals.
However, the World Cup and other events that FIFA oversee won’t be playable in the new EA Sports FC games.
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