A general view of a soccer ball. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

FIFA, EA Sports to end video game agreement

By Zac Wassink | Last updated May 10, 2022 3:04 PM ET

It's truly the end of an era for video game football fans from around the world.

As Steffan Powell explained for the BBC, video-game producer Electronic Arts and FIFA failed to come to terms on a new deal, meaning this year's "FIFA 23" title will be the last in the series made by EA Sports. EA, which has agreements with top-tier competitions such as the English Premier League, La Liga, and the Bundesliga, will launch "EA Sports FC" next year.

Tariq Panja of the New York Times offered more information:

FIFA wanted EA to pay double the $150m it currently does and also wanted to sell its name to other games developers. Months of wrangling ended in what EA’s separation describes as an “amicable” split. Qatar and 2023 Women’s World Cup will feature in last edition out in September
— tariq panja (@tariqpanja) May 10, 2022

FIFA now has an opportunity to branch out and try new things, as does EA. Will be hard for FIFA to come up with a new football game as all encompassing as EA’s though. EA has licenses with most of the football industry. https://t.co/TgLewz1xWe
— tariq panja (@tariqpanja) May 10, 2022

Per Anthony Hay of The Athletic, EA's first FIFA title, known as "FIFA International Soccer," was released in 1993.

"At the moment, we engage in play as a primary form of interactive experience," EA Sports vice president David Jackson told the BBC. "Soon, watching and creating content are going to be equally as important for fans.

"Under the licensing conventions that we had agreed with FIFA 10 years ago, there were some restrictions that weren't going to allow us to be able to build those experiences for players."

In a statement shared by The Athletic, EA said:

"Next year, EA SPORTS FC will become the future of football from EA SPORTS. Alongside our 300+ licence partners across the sport, we’re ready to take global football experiences to new heights, on behalf of all football fans around the world. Everything you love about our games will be part of EA SPORTS FC – 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."

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

More must-reads: