EA Sports to stop making Fifa video game

Electronic Arts (EA) says it is going to stop making Fifa football video games - one of the biggest brands in gaming history.

Fifa are the organisation in charge of global football and run big competitions, including the World Cup.

EA will continue to make football video games, but from 2023 they will come under a new title, called EA Sports FC.

Fifa says it plans to release its own new games, saying: "The Fifa name is the only global, original title."

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How successful is the Fifa video game?

Since the partnership between EA Sports and Fifa began nearly 30 years ago, the Fifa video game has grown to become the most dominant and popular football game available. It's also one of the most profitable.

Fifa 21 sold 325 million versions worldwide, outselling its closest competitor Pro Evolution Soccer by nearly three times.

Meanwhile, Fifa 22 sold even faster than the previous year's game in the first few weeks after it was released in October 2021.

Sales of the game, which releases an updated version every year, have made over $20 billion (£15bn) over the past 20 years.

The game's ability to make money has grown through things such as the so-called 'loot boxes' or player packs.

In the game-mode known as Ultimate Team, players are required to spend actual money to buy and collect Fifa's best footballers in the game.

The feature is thought to have been worth as much as $1.2 billion (£874m) to EA last year.

Why have EA and Fifa split?

EA say that 19,000 athletes and their likenesses will be included in EA Sports FC

The Fifa franchise has been so successful mostly because of licensing agreements, that allowed for accurate representations of team kits, players faces and football grounds to be seen on screen.

Players have been able to play as Premier League teams like Liverpool for years whereas rival games like Pro Evolution Soccer, offered made up teams like Merseyside Red.

Electronic Arts made the last licensing deal with Fifa in 2013 and it has been reported that football's governing body had wanted more money - more than $250 million (that's around £203 million) a year.

Speaking to the BBC, David Jackson, vice president at EA Sports, explained that the studio thinks it's time to move in a different direction in order to build a "brand for the future".

EA Sports made the first Fifa game in 1993 and has been in charge of the gaming franchise ever since

When asked if moving away from Fifa was all about money, Jackson said "it wasn't ultimately down to money" but accepted it did play an important role in the decision-making process.

Jackson added: "At the moment, we engage in play as a primary form of interactive experience. Soon, watching and creating content are going to be equally as important for fans.

"Under the licensing conventions that we had agreed with Fifa 10 years ago, there were some restrictions that weren't going to allow us to be able to build those experiences for players."

What's next for EA Sports?

Cristiano Ronaldo in the Fifa 22 video game

EA say they will continue to offer real-world experiences, having signed up 19,000 athletes, 700 teams, 100 stadiums and over 30 leagues for future games.

They include the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga and Uefa (European football's governing organisation).

There will be one final Fifa release, with this year's edition - Fifa 23 - on sale later this year.

EA Sports FC will hit the shelves in late 2023.

What's next for Fifa games?

The move means that games released to tie-in with the Fifa World Cup, like this one from 1998, will no longer be made by EA

Fifa says it will launch new football video games with other games studios and publishers, providing more choice for football and gaming fans in the lead-up to the World Cup in Qatar and in the future.

Gianni Infantino, the President of Fifa says in a statement on its website: "I can assure you that the only authentic, real game that has the Fifa name will be the best one available for gamers and football fans."

"The constant is the Fifa name and it will remain forever and remain the best."