Like people addicted to Coca-Cola products, players can spot a fake within the first three seconds of trying a product. Try giving a Pepsi to a coke lover and they’ll get offended. A waiter responds to a request for a Coke with: “We only have Pepsi. Is that okay?” is laughed at more often than with a “yes”.
The same goes for people who love sports games. Gamers who love the NBA game NBA2Kwhy EA Sports has stopped producing NBA Live. The show is the only viable baseball game for MLB fans. And like football fans with Driving me crazy, FIFA is the gold standard for football fans.
Well that was the case until Tuesday when It has been announced that EA Sports and FIFA are splitting their long-standing partnership that brings in $150 million annually for the association. It’s a confusing move by one of the world’s most money-hungry sports federations as the video game company is rebranded EA Sports FC will keep chugging on and dominating the soccer simulation market just like its predecessor.
Throwing that kind of money away is only wise if you have a better deal/option, and FIFA’s brilliant idea is its own competing video game launching alongside new streaming service FIFA+. Here’s that of FIFA President Gianni Infantino Delusional statement Bragging about with a game that just won’t keep up EA Sports FCbut probably won’t even do it.
“I can assure you that the only authentic, real game called FIFA will be the best for gamers and football fans.
“The constant is the name FIFA and it will stay forever and remain the best.”
This is not an NFL situation where EA cannot use its teams and player likenesses without NFL approval. Due to disputes, there will be generic teams and crests in the game, but that’s about it will take place in 2020, so it wasn’t instigated by this divorce. That is, the English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and UEFA have already signed up for EA Sportsand so have most of the big clubs you can think of.
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And why shouldn’t they stick with the old brand? EAs FIFA has introduced countless Americans (myself included) to pro football – and its exquisite announcers – and is growing in popularity as esports boom. Being the cover athlete of the game is kind of like that Driving me crazy Cover athlete with more exposure, though the same amount of curse. FIFAnot Driving me crazywas EA Sports’ most profitable title from 2019 to 2022.
The only difference between the football game people know and love and EA Sports FC is a name change and the lack of a World Cup edition every four years, according to EA Sports Vice President David Jackson. (No one’s really going to miss the World Cup version either. It was a money grab, too, and as long as fans can still play international friendlies with their favorite national teams – who control their own likenesses – it’ll be fine.)
The video game company exec said the BBC that money played a role in the dissolution of the partnership, so to speak reports that FIFA tried to double their fee. He also floated some rhetoric about going in a different direction to build a “brand for the future.”
“The world of football and the world of entertainment are changing and they collide in our product.
“In the future, our players will ask us to expand this offer even further. For now, we’re looking at gaming as the primary form of interactive experience. Soon, watching and creating content will be just as important for fans.
“Under the licensing agreements we had with FIFA 10 years ago, there were some limitations that didn’t allow us to build those experiences for players.”
I don’t know what that means or what he’s referring to. “Content creation” seems to be the new “pivot to video” buzzword that companies are repeating when trying to sound smart.
Regardless, Jackson and EA Sports are at an advantage because football fans will treat FIFA’s breakaway the way they do Pro Evolution Football – which means not playing it and questioning the sanity of those who do. The only reason players buy the new installment of sports games every year is because of updated rosters. There might be a small change from a bug, better graphics, or a new career mode, but it’s more or less the same game with the same button layout that someone can pick up and enjoy even if they haven’t played it since college.
Football fans won’t cry because FIFA loses $150 million every year and they’ll probably laugh at the millions they invest in FIFA Pro Futbol (or whatever generic name they choose). When you have a piece of one of the top three most influential and profitable sports video game franchises of all time, your paths will not part. Be happy with the license money and stick to extorting countries to host the World Cup.
If the people who own the Cola formula and Coca-Cola were separate entities and split up and the Coke was made under a new name while Coca-Cola pushed their new, “better” version, would you try that? or will you find the original, well-loved version under its new name?
Yes that’s what I thought. I see you over there shoving that Starlight Coke six pack behind the fridge.
