After EA split, NBA 2K publisher had “no intentions” to continue using the FIFA moniker.
Take-Two has no desire to compete with EA Sports FC.After EA declared last week that it will no longer use the FIFA moniker, Take-Two had no interest in acquiring the name.Following weeks of speculation, EA last week officially announced that it will be dropping the FIFA moniker in favour of “EA Sports FC” in a new project. In response to concerns over who would take over the FIFA brand after EA, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick reportedly rejected the notion in a recent earnings conference, according to IGN(opens in new tab).Although FIFA has a strong brand and enormous influence, Zelnick added, “We’re obviously interested in increasing our prospects in sports. At least now we are aware that the NBA 2K publisher doesn’t seem to be interested in competing with EA’s newest soccer simulation.
Currently, FIFA 23 will be the last title in the EA-developed FIFA series to use the FIFA moniker. The game series will be rebranded as EA Sports FC starting in 2024, providing that EA follows its yearly release schedule for the franchise. It will still include all the same licences that we’ve come to anticipate from the series.
Cam Weber, general manager of EA Sports, stated at the time that Ultimate Team, Career Mode, Pro Clubs, and VOLTA Football will all be present. “With the release of EA Sports FC, our distinctive licence portfolio, which includes more than 19,000 players, 700 teams, 100 stadiums, and 30 leagues, will still be available. This includes unique deals with the MLS, Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, Premier League, and more to come.”
Take-Two is preparing for a fight with EA on the gridiron, not the soccer field. The NFL and 2K announced a new relationship to create “non-simulation football experiences” more than two years ago, in March 2020. Even though we haven’t seen anything from the partnership for years, in case you weren’t aware, it’s actually a partnership that was last active 17 years ago, when the two worked together to create the ESPN NFL 2K video game series.
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