In 2022, the video game and sports simulation world was stunned to hear that two powerhouse groups were ending a decades-long partnership. EA Sports, the world’s premier sports simulation video game developer, would end its licensing partnership with FIFA, the reigning authority in soccer.
It led to a bevy of questions. Would EA Sports be able to produce a worthy soccer game without FIFA’s participation? And just what would EA Sports’ subsequent EA Sports FC rebrand look like? Slowly, news filtered to the public, painting a more promising picture.
Despite the end of EA’s FIFA-based licensing, the company managed to nab other exclusive partnerships, including with Nike, UEFA, and the Premier League. The Premier League, as it happens, might be behind the mammoth success of the newly released EA Sports FC 24, which hit shelves last September.
What’s Behind the Rise?
EA Sports FC 24 quickly shut down the naysayers upon its release. Not only did it make headlines for its exciting new features, but it also nabbed third place in terms of September’s total video game sales. Since then, it’s received positive reviews from critics and players. But what’s behind the spiked sales in the US?
The general idea is that US gamers are more familiar and interested in the Premier League than ever before. While the MLS has slowly but steadily grown in reach and fame, the Premier League has much deeper talent, making it a top choice for new fans of the sport. On top of the rise of the Premier League for US audiences, there’s also the availability of sports betting. Now that sports fans have access to great predictions on Oddschecker that they can apply to Premier League games, the teams and league are more accessible than ever.
EA Strikes Out on its Own
Added interest in the Premier League helped boost sales for EA Sports FC 24 in the US—but there was still plenty of uncertainty surrounding EA’s solo venture. For decades, EA and FIFA’s ongoing licensing partnership had been fruitful. But could EA strike out on its own and still land major NIL agreements?
NIL is a huge part of the simulation experience for players. They want to see the actual names, images, and likenesses of their favorite players, teams, and franchises. It wouldn’t have met player expectations if EA had failed to bring on many unique partners and licenses.
In fact, since EA Sports FC 24’s release, its imagery has been celebrated by players and critics. The game received a huge thumbs-up from both IGN and GameSpot for its realism and smoothness, particularly related to EA’s HyperMotion animation and graphics approach. Aside from simple likeness, EA went above and beyond to convey player style.
These player attributes are a hugely exciting new addition to the realm of sports simulation games, and other developers will certainly be looking to adopt them.
The Future of FIFA?
EA Sports FC 24 has been a hit in terms of sales, revenue, and critical response. The path ahead looks golden for EA, especially now that new licensing partnerships are solidified. But what about FIFA? Did this global powerhouse in soccer miss out on one of its heftier paydays?
FIFA is planning on releasing its own video game. Currently, pundits expect that FIFA’s new approach to video games will be based on creating a competitor to the recently released EA Sports FC 24, possibly with the larger goal of launching an eSports competition.
Already, dozens of popular leagues have successful eSports branches. The Premier League is probably the most well-known, with its hugely popular ePremier League. The NBA and NFL also have their ventures in the NBA 2K League and the Madden NFL Championship Series.
