EA has apparently settled on a new name for its football games while FIFA itself will likely look for a new studio to partner with.
Back in October, EA filed a trademark for something called EA Sports FC. The obvious assumption was that this was to be the new name for its football games, after reports emerged that FIFA wanted more money to use their name.
Now, noted insider Jeff Grubb has said, from what he’s heard, that EA is indeed planning to go with that name and it’s not for a separate online mode or anything else.
He added that the FIFA organisation itself has updated its trademark to include video games, implying that it’ll be making its own FIFA branded games in the future. Either that or it will partner with a new studio, such as 2K.
Grubb shared this info via a recent Twitch stream, which has been archived and you can hear his comments from the 18 minute mark.
Although there’s been no official announcement this seems to end hopes that EA and FIFA would renegotiate and continue their partnership. FIFA is currently asking for $1 billion to use FIFA’s licence, double what is usually paid, with EA’s refusal ending a working relationship that’s lasted for nearly 30 years.
The next question is whether EA’s new name will be applied to this year’s instalment, which so far is still being referred to by fans as FIFA 23. We’ll likely find out within the coming months, although it has also been rumoured that EA is adopting a free-to-play model for the next game.
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It’s far too early to tell if the name change will have an impact on sales. With how iconic the FIFA series is, will players lose interest if the next game lacks the branding?
There will probably be a minor decrease but the only thing the licence provides is the FIFA name and the rights to the official World Cup – all the club and player names and kits are provided by other licences that EA will retain.
EA clearly thinks that it can continue the series without its original name. In fact, in a leaked report, EA CEO Andrew Wilson outright called the FIFA license an ‘impediment,’ suggesting that it has only held EA back over the years.
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