FIFAis making some major changes to its esports scene as the company confirms thatit’s no longer working with EA on its annual esports tournament. For many yearsFIFA dominated the video game spacethanks to its licensing deal with EA which helped keep competitors like Konami out of the spotlight. Konami long tried to topple FIFA’s reign with its ownPro Evolution Soccerseries before ultimately pivoting to focus on the free-to-play market witheFootball, a move that’s seemingly paying dividends thanks to a new contract.
PerGamesIndustry.biz,FIFA has partnered with Konami to host its FIFAe World Cup esports event which will be played witheFootballrather thanEA Sports FC 25. Starting today, players can participate in qualifying matches that will ultimately feed into two main tournaments set to take place in 2024: One will be dedicated to the mobile version ofeFootballwhile the other will be on consoles. The first championship will include players from across the world, including Brazil, Costa Rica, England, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea Republic, Malaysia, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Thailand, and Türkiye.
What Does This Mean For eFootball?
A Major Promotion For The Game
While Konami’seFootballhas managed to sustain a decent audience sincethe first game’s release in 2021,an official partnership with FIFA is a massive step forward for the game’s brand recognition. There is a massive esports scene built around football games and EA’s loss of the FIFA license has resulted in its recentEA Sports FCgames losing some of the hype generated by such a massive name. Konami’s move to partner with FIFA is a smart move in how it draws more attention to its offering, placing EA further on the back foot.
Whether the FIFAe World Cup deal goes further thanorganizing tournaments withineFootballremains to be seen but given its shakey history with EA, FIFA is likely being cautious as it enters into another potentially lengthy contract with a video game publisher.eFootballdoesn’t struggle for players but those who were initially turned off the game by its messy launch may see the FIFAe World Cup as proof of an improved product. This can only mean good things for the free-to-play football game.
Why Is FIFA 24 Not Called FIFA?
It looks like FIFA, plays like FIFA, is made by the same people as FIFA, but it’s not FIFA. Here’s why it’s called EA Sports FC 24 instead.
Screen Rant’s Take: eFootball Makes Sense For The FIFAe World Cup
Accessibility Is Key To A Welcoming Environment
While it can be argued thatEA Sports FC 25is the more technically impressive game,one of the biggest benefits to hosting the FIFAe World Cup ineFootballis that it’s free-to-play. Not having to spend money on a premium title opens up the doors to even more players, and I believe more players make for a more enjoyable experience. FIFA’s decision to join forces with Konami is both a win for theeFootballcommunity and a smart move for both companies.
