Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson has once again shown how determined he is to leave the FIFA name. Wilson told a company meeting with employees that his FIFA license was in the way of EA.
Wilson believes ending their 30-year relationship with FIFA will have better future results for the firm. Wilson said EA could not get out of traditional 11-to-11 football in its games because of the FIFA deal and could not expand into “wider digital ecosystems,” while EA said the only benefit it gets from this license in the years before the World Cup was held was “a four-letter word in the box.”
Although Wilson had this conversation privately with his employees, it doesn’t seem to have stopped him from leaking. VGC has asked EA to comment on the matter, but EA (no comment) has been contacted for comment. He just said.
We already knew that EA and FIFA were the lemons; FIFA is keen for other studios to use its name (after all, there is more money at stake), while EA wants to get rid of the FIFA chain and go into innovation.
EA’s 10-year deal expires after this year’s Qatar World Cup. Looking at the explanations, the probability of renewing the license is almost unlikely, suggesting that FIFA 23 may be the last EA Sports game with FIFA in its name.
EA will broadcast FIFA 23 this year and present two FIFA World Cup tournaments, men’s and women’s.
