EA Sports published a series of soccer simulation games between 1993 and 2022 but the two companies parted ways in 2022, with EA rebranding its games as EA Sports FC from 2023’s game, called EA Sports FC 2024. Since then, EA has announced a new partnership, this time with Konami, EA’s fiercest rivals in the soccer gaming space and publishers of eFootball, previously known as Pro Evolution Soccer.
While many expected this partnership to reignite the rivalry between soccer gaming’s two biggest titles, thus far, only an eSports partnership has been announced.
The World’s Most Popular Sport
Soccer is one of the biggest global sporting and entertainment industries in the world and contributes hundreds of billions of dollars to the global economy. It attracts massive TV deals, and stadium and club sponsorship, and is very popular with keen sports gamblers. No verification betting sites enable fans to bet on games from around the world. According to sports betting expert Lewis Humphries, these sites allow players to sign up without having to verify their identity. This makes betting on soccer easier and far more convenient.
EA And FIFA
EA first entered an agreement with FIFA in 1993 and in 2013, the pair announced they would continue this agreement until 2022. Towards the end of that agreement, EA was paying approximately $150 million a year for the rights, making it one of FIFA’s most lucrative deals.
However, it has been reported that FIFA wanted $1 billion per four-year World Cup cycle to continue with the agreement, almost doubling the amount EA would have to pay. As such, in 2022, EA walked away from the licensing deal. The company has separate deals in place with most leagues, clubs, players, and stadiums, so it was still able to include names within its 2023 title.
EA Sports FC Rebrand
But, it did mean a complete rebranding. EA FIFA became EA Sports FC 2024. Although the decision raised some eyebrows, it paid off. It was the biggest-selling game of 2023, although it sold around 150,000 fewer copies than FIFA 23, with the latter game enjoying the boost of releasing at around the time of the World Cup.
The game was generally well-received by critics. Players who were worried they would miss out on being able to play as their favorite players or teams had their concerns put to rest, as EA remains the only game that offers this opportunity.
FIFA And Konami
Recently, FIFA announced that it has signed a deal with EA rivals, Konami. Many were expecting the deal to mean that Konami would start producing a FIFA title, or that it would rebrand its eFootball title to a FIFA title instead.
For years, Konami produced Pro Evolution Soccer, or PES, and it served as FIFA’s main rival. In 2021, Pro Evo stopped production and was replaced by eFootball. eFootball does not get close to the sales figures that EA gets, but it will, according to the new deal, be used for FIFA’s eSports tournaments which will include a mobile tournament for the first time this year.
An eSports Deal
The deal between Konami and EA could represent the start of a new relationship. It is still possible that eFootball will rebrand as FIFA eFootball. This would likely depend on the success of the pair’s new deal and the eSports tournament that it will give rise to.
And, if the reports of FIFA demanding $250 million a year for sponsorship are true, could Konami really afford to pay that kind of licensing fee? And would it matter even if they could?
The FIFAe World Cup Tournament
The FIFAe World Cup launched in 2004 and, since then, its soccer games have used the most recent versions of FIFA games. The tournament has open entry during the preliminary stages, which has helped make it the biggest eSports tournament in the world. The next event will not only use eFootball instead of EA’s title but will also include Football Manager and Rocket League for the first time.
The main event offered a $300,000 first prize during last year’s tournament, and the next winner will likely receive a similar amount. It has been announced that the Football Manager tournament will have a $100,000 total prize pool. Events can be watched on YouTube and Twitch as the tournaments unfold.
The Future Of Soccer Gaming
eFootball and EA Sports FC remain the two biggest soccer simulation titles on PC, consoles, and even mobile, with EA’s title some way out in front. A lot of this popularity comes from the fact that players can play as their favorite teams and players, and while EA has broken off its partnership with FIFA, the world governing body, it doesn’t look to have hit the game’s bottom line and has only really led to a title change for the game because EA has negotiated deals with leagues and clubs around the world.
While that could change, if Konami and FIFA do sign a broader deal in the future, or if FIFA can find another publisher willing to create a soccer simulation game, that doesn’t seem likely at the moment. Especially if reports of FIFA asking for a $1 billion license payment are accurate – EA couldn’t justify spending more than about $600 million: could Konami or another, smaller publisher, afford the kind of figures the world’s biggest footballing organization is demanding?