After years of top notch collaboration, EA Sports and FIFA will part ways this year.
The iconic football game is being rebranded as EA Sports FC, while FIFA is expected to launch its own product in the gaming space.
So we’re all going to need to know what the entire situation means, when will things be released and what to expect.
What happened to FIFA 24?
For the first time in many, many years, we will not get a new FIFA game from EA sports this year. This means FIFA 24 will not exist.
Basically, EA Sports decided to relaunch the iconic series without the FIFA branding. That means the world football governing body will seek to partner with another developer for its own game moving forward.
What do we know about EA Sports FC?
“This is where the story of EA SPORTS FC begins,” EA Sports heavy-hitter Nick Wlodyka previously announced. He’s the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of EA Sports FC.
“We’re building on 30 years of leadership and history creating experiences that bring the global football community together, and continuing to take it into a fan-first future.
“EA Sports FC will be a symbol for the sport, a symbol of innovation and change, and we’re energised to show our fans more about the future in July.”
The game will feature more than 19,000 players from more than 700 teams across 30+ leagues.
EA Sports has promised that the ‘same great experiences, modes, leagues, tournaments, clubs and athletes will be there.’
“Ultimate Team, Career Mode, Pro Clubs and VOLTA Football will all be there.”
EA Sports has remained tight-lipped on exactly what will be different, but being separated from the notoriously restrictive FIFA branding means that the game will have the opportunity to grow in ways it hasn’t been able to previously.
When will EA Sports FC be released?
EA Sports is yet to announce an exact release date for EA Sports FC but if the game is released on the same schedule as the previous FIFA games, we can expect it to hit shelves in late September.
We should hear more about a release date when EA Sports lifts the lid on all things EA Sports FC in July. You can sign up for updates here.
How much will EA Sports FC cost?
EA Sports is yet to announce how much EA Sports FC will cost, or whether it will be free to play.
Given all previous FIFA games were fully priced, it seems unlikely that EA Sports FC will be free. But if the company were to switch to a ‘freemium’ (free to download, with paid DLCs) model, now would be the time to do so.
Which platforms will EA Sports FC be available on
EA Sports FC will be released on Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. While it is yet to be confirmed, it is also likely that it will be released on PC.
It remains unclear if the games will be exclusive to the most recent generation of each console (PS5, Xbox Series X/S) or will be available on the older PS4 and Xbox One models. We will be sure to update you when Sony and Microsoft release further information on the matter.
Will EA’s Ultimate Team be impacted?
Ultimate Team is an addition to the FIFA games we have all known and loved since 2009.
It’s a mode that allows users to build a ‘dream team’ with players from anywhere; those sides can take on other community gamers, or go it ‘solo’.
At this stage, it’s been reported and rumoured that the Ultimate Team product will not be impacted by all the changes.
