EA, the leader in the sports games industry, announced its intention to launch a new application that combines all of its games on one platform, which is closer to a social media platform dedicated to fans of the company’s sports games as well as the sports it represents.
This application makes it easy to follow sports news and the company’s various games, in addition to a communication mechanism similar to old forums, as well as a group of challenges related to EA games and the sports they represent.
This announcement comes in conjunction with the launch of the new generation of football game bearing the company’s logo, “FC 24”, which replaced the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), which EA has long been famous for presenting on an annual basis. After losing the rights to the game in 2022.
Of course, the announcement of the new application comes as part of EA’s plan to control the entire sports arena and strengthen the position of its games, but how can this application affect its empire?
Losing FIFA rights and starting another success
EA’s relationship with FIFA began in 1993, meaning more than 30 years, during which the company produced many games bearing the logo of this global football governing body, generating more than $20 billion annually in game sales across various platforms. .
Although EA is not the first company to own the exclusive rights to FIFA, as they were owned by Sega, EA’s attractive offer made the authority approve it, which enabled the company to launch the same game with differences. Slightly, annually and at a fixed time annually.
EA’s losses stopped at the name “FIFA” only. Although the game now does not represent the authority, the company has individual rights to cooperate with more than 300 different entities that include clubs, players, football stadiums, and advertising companies as well, so the loss here represents only in The name of the game was changed to “EA Sports FC”, short for (EA Sports Football Clubs).
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A report published by the New York Times suggested that the reason for the end of the successful relationship was FIFA’s desire to raise the value of the exclusivity contract to double the initial value, which EA categorically rejected, even though the rights to the FIFA name were available for purchase for more than a period. For two years now, it has not found a competing buyer due to the significant weakness of competition in the sports game development sector.
On the other hand, EA had been preparing for this moment for years, and perhaps the defining moment that contributed to strengthening the company’s position was the unveiling of the “FIFA Ultimate Team” mode, which is symbolized by the abbreviation “FUT.” It is more like a group play phase based on real matches that take place. This phase allows you to build teams of players virtually, enter into challenges across these teams and gain various points that qualify you to access various prizes. Players can also be bought and sold in a simulation of the role of team managers. In addition, the prices of players and the points generated by them are greatly affected by the results of real matches and the various changes that occur to them.
Although this mode began experimentally with EA after it was developed by a fan of the game and then acquired by the company, today it contributes to the game’s sales significantly, to the point that the latest version was able to bring in profits of $1.7 billion for the last quarter of this year.
Integrated system
The farewell moment between FIFA and EA represented a new opportunity for the company to be born in a system that depends on its decisions separately without the need for external parties. Although it still needs the powers to use players, teams and stadiums, accessing these powers represents a cost. Less than obtaining FIFA powers.
EA now has all the necessary cards for its success, starting with a game that it owns all the rights to, as well as a distinctive and very successful multiplayer mode, in addition to a variety of sports games that contribute to promoting this game in the absence of real competition from any other company.
Despite this tight control over the football sports games circle, the company is still seeking to impose more control and connect sports fans with its unique experience. This control comes in the form of an application that provides all the advantages of communication platforms, but it is dedicated to sports games, specifically football and its game “FC 24”.
The last stone in the empire
EA has traditionally tried to promote its games and make the most profit from them, regardless of their financial practices. In recent years, it has transformed into a company that relies entirely on selling group games that include internal purchasing mechanisms.
This major transformation alone has contributed more than $28 billion to the company’s profits since 2016, according to data from the “Statista” website, a number that is more than double what the game’s single sales provided for the same period.
Although in theory “Foot” does not offer any new experience, “EA” was able to strengthen its relationship with the players through this mode, and made them attached to the game and willing to buy and invest in it thanks to this mode alone, and this matter is precisely what it is trying to achieve through the application. The social you plan to introduce.
This application can be viewed as a complementary service to the “EA” experience, as you can now follow sports news from a reliable source that has many correspondents around the world, in addition to displaying the latest game news, new tips, and new changes, as well as communicating with fans of the game and “Foot” tournaments. Around the world, instead of jumping between different applications and different platforms to follow sports news or “Foot” news and build and follow tournaments.
This application is still in the experimental stage, as the company launched it experimentally in Spain, and according to the results and advantages provided through the application, we may see greater success or extinction.
