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Fifa
SportFootball

Fifa and EA Sports set to launch rival video games after severing ties

  • Soccer’s world governing body has ended its partnership with EA, maker of hugely successful Fifa video game over past three decades
  • EA will continue to make its games but will be stripped of the Fifa branding and instead be called EA Sports FC

Reading Time:4 minutes
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France forward Kylian Mbappe features on the cover of FIFA 22, which was made by EA Sports. Photo: EPA-EFE
Associated Press
The name “Fifa” can bring to mind images of the World Cup and soccer’s greatest players like Pele, Zinedine Zidane or Lionel Messi. The acronym for the sport’s governing body may also remind some of shameless bribery and corruption.
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For many, though, it’s the video game that is synonymous with Fifa.
For three decades, the Switzerland-based soccer body has enjoyed a flourishing, mutually beneficial relationship with EA Sports. The annual edition of the video game, alongside related products, has raked in billions of dollars and has proven to be so lucrative that Fifa thinks it can be making even more on its own.

Fifa severed the licensing deal partnership with Electronic Arts Inc. on Tuesday, making Fifa 23 the last new EA game with the involvement of both sides. They are now becoming opponents.

The annual edition of EA’s Fifa game has raked in billions of dollars over three decades. Photo: AP
The annual edition of EA’s Fifa game has raked in billions of dollars over three decades. Photo: AP

EA will continue to make soccer games with best players and biggest teams, they will just be stripped of the Fifa brand and instead called EA Sports FC.

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