Electronic Arts’ partnership with FIFA has been incredibly lucrative for both parties, and now the EA SPORTS division is doubling down with a massive expansion of games based on their collaboration.
EA announced this week the signing of a multiyear UEFA license extension, ensuring the pinnacle of club football remains exclusive to EA SPORTS. As well, EA is expanding football video game access through multiple in-development mobile offerings, and by broadening the PC free-to-download FIFA Online 4 title’s reach to potentially 80 million players in more than 15 new countries. Additionally, the franchise will launch on Stadia for the first time when EA SPORTS FIFA 21 is available March 17 for the Stadia platform.
EA says this expansion of the original agreement builds on the continued growth and success of the EA SPORTS FIFA franchise. EA SPORTS FIFA 21 was the best-selling game in the United Kingdom in 2020, it is continually one of the most popular games worldwide, and the EA SPORTS FIFA franchise has now sold more than 325 million units over its lifetime. Recent sales figures also show the game’s popularity continues to grow at a brisk pace. At this point in its product cycle, there are more players playing EA SPORTS FIFA 21 than the record-breaking EA SPORTS FIFA 20 had at the same point.
“Our vision is to create the most authentic, social and connected football experience by bringing our games to more devices, more countries and more fans around the world,” said DJ Jackson, VP of EA SPORTS Brand. “EA SPORTS continues to rapidly transform how fans consume sport, evolving football from a passive and scheduled experience to an interactive one, accessible at any time. This is the world’s game, and EA SPORTS is doing everything we can to further connect players, athletes, clubs and leagues and grow the love of football, globally.”
That love of football, or soccer to North Americans, is illustrated in the amount of time player spend with the game. To date, over 150 million minutes of UEFA Champions League football have been played in EA SPORTS FIFA games on console and PC. The new license extension gives the EA SPORTS FIFA ecosystem exclusive rights to UEFA Champions League, as well as the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup. The partnership is also poised to help grow the eChampions League, an integral and important tournament within the EA SPORTS FIFA Global Series competitive gaming program.
To continue growing EA SPORTS FIFA fandom, providing players with more ways to play is paramount, EA says. The free-to-download FIFA Online 4 experience on PC, widely played in Asia, will be available for the first time in Russia, Poland, Turkey, and more, bringing the game to potentially tens of millions of passionate football fans. EA SPORTS FIFA 21 launches for Stadia on March 17 and will let players instantly play their favorite video games on screens they already own.
Mobile remains the most popular gaming platform in the world and EA SPORTS has six football experiences in the works ranging from authentic simulation to unique arcade formats offering new ways to play for everyone. More details on these diverse mobile football experiences will be announced at a later date.
Over the past year EA introduced six new console and PC experiences, as well as ongoing live service offerings on PC and mobile.
EA was an early leader in the video gaming world and remains one of the foremost gaming companies worldwide. In fiscal year 2020, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $5.5 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS FIFA, Battlefield, Apex Legends, The Sims, Madden NFL, Need for Speed, Titanfall and Plants vs. Zombies.