Electronic Arts is reportedly all set to rebrand the FIFA series 'EA Sports Football Club'. As reported by Jeff Grubb on his Giant Bomb show Grubbsnax (thanks, VGC), sources confirmed to him that 'EA Sports FC' is to become the new name for the franchise.
The title had been spotted previously in trademark applications, and some — including Grubb — had at first assumed that was for a new mode in the upcoming game. However, after conferring with sources, he has confirmed that the title is scheduled to become the new name for the entire franchise.
Reports came out last year that EA was considering dropping the FIFA licence after FIFA apparently demanded more than double its previous fee to continue using the name on the annual soccer series.
CEO Andrew Wilson reportedly commented that the FIFA licence was actually hurting the series' potential growth: "As we’ve looked to the future we want to grow the franchise," he said in a meeting with staff, "and ironically the FIFA licence has actually been an impediment to that."
The current deal between FIFA and EA is due to expire after the Qatar World Cup in November.
So, EASFC. Or EAFC? Or will everyone just keep calling it FIFA? Let us know your thoughts on this new name below.
[source giantbomb.com, via videogameschronicle.com]
Comments 67
Awful name! Truly awful
Do these games actually sell on their merits of gameplay, or just because footie fans care that strongly about the FIFA League, and the recognisable teams and players represented in each annual release?
It'll be interesting to see if a licensed game becoming unlicensed can continue to thrive.
The end of the partnership between EA and FIFA is not going to be good for any of them.
Hope it ends.
What a terrible name! It fits perfectly!
Why add the club?
EA Sports Football sounds better...actually it's garbage.
Very fitting for this trash company.
The next studio taking the fifa should support the switch.
Ea think he don’t need fifa no more. Time will tell.
The football club have deal with club for the gaming. Ea don’t
EA Sports Football Club as a name has the same energy to me as Nintendo Switch Sports. I'm not sure if that's a good thing for them, considering the vastly different target audiences.
Legit sounds like something from the NES or even the Atari days, back when mediocre unlicensed games flooded the market.
They should just go simple and call it Football, like the Atari 2600 game. I'd quote the Angry Video Game Nerd about how beautifully simple the name is, but since he uses profanity in his rant, I will not.
Nobody cares...
Then : EA games... Challenge everything.
Now : EA games... Ruin everything.
@quinnyboy58 Fits the game then
They should drop that crappy title and just call it 'The Beautiful Game'.
That's actually embarrassing
Who's going to swoop in and pay up for the FIFA name if EA is still holding onto the teams and players? Are we going to have a FIFA game where they use team names like Menchaster United?
That has got to be the most brand-safe name I've ever heard. The FIFA Youtubers are gonna have their work cut out in trying to make a decent title for their videos.
The name is even worse than what I was predicting. I love this
I remember playing FIFA 2000 and it started with “EA Sports it’s in the game”. So I guess in some (not so) subliminal way generations that grew up playing FIFA are familiar is some way with EA Sports. It’s left to be seen if the transition won’t hurt sales much. I would do a huge campaign and lower launch price if I was EA but these guys are super greedy, At least there will be 1 thing different in Switch EA Sports legacy edition than last year FIFA
Given FIFA are the reason FIFA games come to Switch, I'd guess FIFA 23 Legacy Edition is the last EA sports game to come to Switch.
Still won't buy it, the name fits perfectly. I hope the sales tank because of the name change.
@dartmonkey Reportedly, FIFA wanted EA to pay 1B (that's B for billion) dollars for the FIFA branding.
https://www.ign.com/articles/ea-sports-may-drop-fifa-name
Thats a terrible name, it sounds more like a children's activity club than a game.
Konami should probably give a push to Pro Evo next year. They might actually grab the marketshare
'EA Sports... Football Club... or Soccer Club if you're in the US... it's in the game.... but sadly not in the name...'
@Dr_Lugae if Konami's eFootball botched release this year is anything to go by, I don't think EA has anything to worry about.
"Hello, EA? This is Sepp Blatter. I hear you need a new name for your football game and I was wondering how much you would pay me for Blatter Football... Hello? Hello?"
no problem: EA Sports Football Club will be the same of FIFA 18 on nintendo switch
It´s only a name, the gameplay is the same. I don´t care about "fifa" name. If i can edit the player´s name it is ok! I played Worldwide Soccer 97/98 on Sega Saturn and i could enchange all stats, flags, names....it was perfect!
@Fizza I guess they’ll just put FIFA 24 or whatever in brackets in the titles if nobody else ponies up for the license since FIFA is what the games will ultimately still be and people will probably colloquially call them going forward.
Such a generic name...but I suppose that's what this game is meant to be.
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@Xiovanni yes except Americans don't buy soccer games and Euros don't shop at WalMart
About time they kicked FIFA into touch.
It will rubbish on Switch anyway so who cares?
Looking forward to EA Sports FC Legacy Edition.
@RupeeClock That's an interesting question. Many purchasing habits are kept solely based on habit. People keep buying these games because they're ok with paying to have different names every year, but I'm curious to know if they're gonna keep doing it when their brand of choice is rebranded
Different name same crappy game either way.
EA Sports Football Club Legacy Edition
For Nintendo Switch
Only for $59.99!!!
As others say the club is pointless…
EA Sports Football. Job done
@RupeeClock I personally only played FIFA because it allowed me to play as the Sounders and other MLS teams. I’m more than certain a decent portion of players are in the same position.
At least there will finally be a big change to the switch version this year. name change!
I'm ok w/ the club in the name, and I wouldn't pay FIFA $1 billion either, but it has to be called Soccer club in the US or they'll have a problem. Though personally I'd prefer EA Sports Futbol Club for both North and South America.
I don't care about the name at all. The bigger picture is whether this is a broader move from FIFA to allow other games to have official names etc. If so, Pro Evolution Soccer could be back with a shout. In fact, any other football game could. If they are simply dropping FIFA. I'm sure Microsoft want a football game on Gamepass without paying EA an astronomical fee (and let's face it, they can afford the FIFA fee!). EA could be losing a good chunk of their business if other companies are savvy. Not a good time to be a shareholder.
Well, they'll have to change their intro...
"EA Sports. It's in the name."
@CactusMan
https://mario.wiki.gallery/images/thumb/1/12/MSBLF_logo_EU_AU.png/744px-MSBLF_logo_EU_AU.png
@CactusMan Ah, so they will be fine then, I guess.
@RupeeClock nah, they only sell due to the "names" of the teams and players hahahaa.
@HotGoomba totally-crap game deserves a crap title.
"As we’ve looked to the future we want to grow the franchise," he said in a meeting with staff, "and ironically the FIFA licence has actually been an impediment to that."
What a load of nonsense, they're just being lazy releasing essentially the same game with updated rosters every year. Pathetic excuse!
Well at least they gone for a catchy title?
The CEO telling that the FIFA licence has actually been an impediment has me dead, that’s just too much salt 😂 the franchise survived literally back off the FIFA licence because gameplay wise there was a good decade where PES were head and shoulder above FIFA games in gameplay innovations. FIFA’s main attraction was they had players licence and that’s what kept them afloat. It’ll be interesting because now neither EA nor Konami have official licensing.
@Bayjax
They're saving "EA Sports Football" for when and if they have to drop the Madden branding.
@syrupdash Oh yeah forgot about that nonsense game.
@Kuhang Yes, that made me laugh too, at first... but then I had a look at the various licenses and actually it appears FIFA wasn't bringing as much to the table as people thought/assumed.
Do the FIFA games even have the World Cup as an option? Certainly its been sold as a seperate game many times in the past?
Beyond the FIFA World Cup... not sure FIFA has a lot of clout?
EA's position here combined with the Home Nations World Cup host bid being abandoned in favour of hosting the Euros instead is painting a picture in terms of FIFA influence.
Just rolls of the tongue.
This almost as bad as PES becoming eFootball.
Shouldn't it be EA Association Football instead? That is the sport's proper full English name.
It’s too long and clumsy when compared to FIFA. I would just name it EA Football if they’re going to lose the rights.
@NIN10DOXD
Because it isn’t the 1800s and everyone knows it as Football except for Americans.
Is there even enough room on a switch case for the title, "EA Sports Football Club: Legacy Edition"
I wonder if they will just sign up a big name to front this going ahead, like they did with Tiger Woods for their golf games? "Lionel Messi's World Football", or something like that?
All this makes me think about is when the new season of Ted Lasso starts. That's about all the soccer I can bare.
Featuring 'surprise mechanics'
@CaptainCluck I mean Wikipedia still calls it that and "soccer" comes from the term and is used by more than just the United States to describe the sport. Soccer, gridiron, and rugby are all technically "football" and come from the same original sport.
@MostHandsieBoy true in a way but FIFA is still selling pretty good in US and tops charts. Real football is still gaining momentum in US
@Xiovanni not sure anyone knkws what you mean. They are football clubs.
I hope ea do drop the fifa license. Their games are beta bugfests and they charge more and more each year. All they care about is getting kids gambling on FUT packs while they ignore career mode. Horrible cash grab company that puts out mostly crap games.
@CactusMan always referred to as Madden.
I hope the braindead sports gamers that buy these every year get confused because it doesn't say FIFA on the box and don't wind up buying this EA garbage anymore. That would be a massive blow to microtransactions all on its own.
Seriously now if Fifa collaborate with Konami and put out FIFA 23 (PES 21 reskinned) for like 40€ they will “steal” half sales
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