Regardless of whether you’re a football fan, player, or neither of these, FIFA is a term that you’ve probably heard of. The realm of FIFA extends to much more than its global matches and tournaments, however.
FIFA is also known for its widespread and popular gaming franchise, which has spanned more than 20 titles.
On the one hand, now that the partnership between Electronic Arts (EA), the publisher of the FIFA gaming franchise, and FIFA has ended, what does this mean for the FIFA series?
In particular, will EA’s rebranding open doors for mobile gaming?
We’ll explore the answer to this question in this blog post. So, if you’re interested in the impact of EA’s rebranding of the best-selling football gaming franchise, don’t stop reading!
The FIFA Gaming Franchise
The partnership between EA and FIFA began in the ‘90s, with the first release being FIFA International Soccer, also known as FIFA ‘94 in late 1993. Each year since this first release saw a new instalment, with better graphics and gameplay, only adding to the grand appeal of the franchise.
Its latest and final instalment (released in September 2022), FIFA ‘23 sees approximately seven million active players monthly across all supported platforms as of September 2023, according to activeplayer.io. As you can see, the FIFA games continue to be enjoyed by many players.
The Split from FIFA
After 30 long years, EA and FIFA decided to call it quits, discontinuing what is likely the biggest football gaming franchise in the world. But this didn’t mean the end for EA’s involvement in football games.
EA’s split with FIFA meant that there was now a big hole that gaped, not only in EA’s economy, but also in its collection of games. Of course, this makes for a tremendous amount of pressure on EA, but it appears that they’re not at all fazed by the burden on their shoulders.
EA Sports FC
Instead, EA Sports revealed that it would be rebranding itself as EA Sports FC, a collaboration with Uncommon Creative Studio that aims to create new and engaging football games to enrich football culture.
With EA Sports FC, EA and Uncommon have a specific goal in mind: unifying football fans across the globe through an innovative network that is accessible to players on multiple platforms.
Rebranding is always a complex concept, especially as it’s often confusing for consumers. However, EA appears to be confident in its transition, which is certainly commendable – and why shouldn’t they be?
After all, they’ve introduced something that the FIFA franchise did not: immersive mobile gaming.
Opening Doors for Mobile Gaming Success
It’s important to note that there is a mobile game for FIFA, aptly named FIFA Mobile, and following the split between EA and FIFA, it is also being rebranded as EA Sports FC Mobile.
Although FIFA Mobile was released in 2016, there have been many criticisms that it failed to uphold the realism and playability that the console versions have. EA aims to rectify these problems with EA Sports FC Mobile, which is designed to be a massive improvement compared to its predecessor.
In fact, this updated version of the mobile game will include new and innovative features, helping to make it an authentic and immersive gaming experience. This includes the addition of:
- Cross-regional play – players can now go head-to-head against players from other regions
- Dynamic game speed – refined visuals and game flow for improved authenticity
- Elite shooting system – improved shooting system that represents real-life trajectories
- True player personality – increases impact of attributes, plus individual player running styles, penalty kick stances, and more
- Impact controls – introduces new controls for better gameplay
- Immersive broadcast experience – enhanced goal replays with dynamic camera angles
The Leader of Virtual Football Games
Without a doubt, the FIFA gaming franchise is the most esteemed virtual football franchise in the world. Now that the franchise is discontinued, many are looking for a new leader to champion immersive and realistic football gameplay on mobile.
With EA’s introduction of EA Sports FC Mobile and its new features, it’s no surprise that many football fans are keen to play this upgraded version of FIFA Mobile. Mobile games, in particular, are becoming increasingly popular – game developers can expect to see a worthwhile ROI in mobile game industry, especially as it’s a lucrative industry to invest in.
As football fans mourn the loss of the FIFA gaming franchise, there is now something to be excited for: EA Sports FC, notably its mobile version, which is free-to-play and playable on-the-go.
