Electronic Arts (EA) is seeing strong demand for its rebranded football video game, “EA Sports FC,” following the end of its 30-year relationship with FIFA. EA reported that 6.8 million people had paid for pre-release access to the game, marking a 25% increase in pre-release sign-ups compared to the previous year. EA had extended the early access window for the game in 2022, which contributed to the higher figures.

EA’s partnership with FIFA was a significant revenue generator, providing approximately $150 million annually to the football governing body. The FIFA franchise has been a massive success for EA, with hundreds of millions of copies sold and over 150 million regular players across various platforms. The franchise consistently ranked as the top-selling games brand in the UK for many years.

The new rebrand does not mean any changes to the core formula however. The new series will still contain a lot of the much beloved content that FIFA fans have come to expect such as the inclusion of over 700 featured teams with 19,000 players from both men and women’s football. Ahead of the game’s launch EA Sports FC also became the title sponsor of La Liga as a good way to get more eyes on its new rebrand.

The move away from FIFA is part of EA’s broader shift in focus towards developing cross-platform gaming experiences. EA aims to expand its presence in the gaming industry as it strives to adapt to changing player preferences and the growth of mobile gaming.

The breach with FIFA is not expected to significantly impact the game’s content or popularity, and EA is actively marketing the new branding to ensure a successful transition. The rebranding represents a notable commercial risk for EA, but the company appears confident in its strategy.

FIFA, on the other hand, has announced plans to launch its football game with its own branding, potentially introducing competition to EA’s offering. FIFA is also exploring new revenue-generating opportunities, such as the revamped Club World Cup in 2025.