It’s a page in the history of video games that is turning. EA Sports has just confirmed a rumor launched in October 2021: the game becomes EA Sports FC and will therefore no longer use the FIFA brand for its next games, starting with the 2023 edition. The landscape of football simulation games is completely turned upside down, while PES had already abandoned its name (and some of its players at the same time) to become eFootball recently. Facing him, his historic competitor is heading in the same direction. The fault of a contract which does not seem to have been renewed with the international football federation, FIFA 23 will never exist.
After nearly 30 years of creating genre-defining interactive football experiences, we will soon begin an exciting new era.
Next year, EA SPORTS FC will become the future of EA SPORTS football. Alongside our 300+ sports licensing partners, we stand ready to take global football experiences to new heights on behalf of all football fans everywhere.
The game still says that it will continue to offer licensed teams and players (through its contract with FIFPro, which is independent of FIFA). In 2023, EA Sports FC will therefore feature 19,000 players, 700 teams, 100 stadiums and 30 leagues, with the return of Ultimate Team, Career, Clubs Pro or VOLTA modes. The publisher is also formalizing the return of a few leagues for the moment, such as the Premiere League, La Liga, The Bundesliga, La Serie A and MLS. Obviously, competitions like the World Cup will no longer be in the game.
EA Sports is also talking about this new game as of a community portala communication that is reminiscent of that of eFootball precisely, which seemed to want a game closer to a free to play live service only one edition each year. It remains to be seen if FIFA, sorry EASFC will do the same. In any case, the rebranding is effective and EA Sports FC joins the huge catalog of sports series of the publisher, with EA Sports NHL, EA Sports UFC, EA Sports PGA Tour, the expected reboot of EA College Football or the new F1 22 following the acquisition of Codemasters.