FIFA has announced for the first time that it will launch a new football game developed in partnership with third-party studios and publishers, with several non-simulation games already in the works.
In a press release, the agency noted that it has granted EA Sports an extension for the simulation-only soccer category, which will allow for the release of FIFA 23 later this year.
FIFA also said it is working with publishers, studios and investors on a major new simulated football game for 2024.
New non-simulation games already in development will be released in the third quarter of this year, the first of which will feature the FIFA 2022 Qatar World Cup, which promises to “bring a new interactive experience to fans around the world”.
It will also release more games and virtual experiences around this year’s FIFA World Cup, and is also discussing projects with publishers ahead of next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“I can assure you that the only real game that bears the FIFA name will be the best game available to gamers and football fans,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
“The FIFA name is the only original worldwide name. FIFA 23, FIFA 24, FIFA 25, FIFA 26 and more – the one thing that doesn’t change is the FIFA name, which will always be and remain the best.”
The extension with EA Sports is a new arrangement that grants rights to the Simulated Football category only, freeing up wider game rights for FIFA and different game publishers to release new games and “provide deeper insights for fans and football stakeholders”. immersive experience”.
This new “non-exclusive licensing model” comes after lengthy discussions between the two parties on FIFA’s vision for the future of gaming. As previously announced, FIFA said it intends to work with a range of partners rather than “locking up all gaming and esports rights in the hands of one publisher for a long period of time”.
Yesterday, EA announced that it will drop the FIFA brand after 30 years, with its football game moving forward under the new EA Sports FC brand by 2023.
According to EA, the move will allow it to work with more than 300 partners across the global soccer world to “deliver the world’s largest interactive sports experience” to the growing community.
Since the new branding won’t take effect until 2023, this fall’s EA Sports FIFA entry will retain the FIFA branding.
