Based on a new report, both 2K and FIFA were in talks for collaborating on a new soccer game that could’ve rivaled EA Sports FC before the deal fell apart. According to Sports Gamers Online, “discussions between FIFA and 2K Sports progressed to the point where both sides were negotiating contract terms, licensing agreements, and potential game modes. According to those sources, 2K pushed for a 10-year licensing agreement that would include rights related to the FIFA World Cup. The publisher was also expected to secure the FIFPRO license, which covers player and club likenesses.”
And the talks reportedly broke down cause of FIFA’s pursuit of “faster, more profitable opportunities”, based on their intention of capitalizing on this year’s world cup football which includes a new title named FIFA World Cup Launch Edition that’s made in partnership with Netflix.
In contrast, 2K wanted a far deeper and more authentic football simulation experience that would’ve obviously taken more time, and that’s why the agreements ultimately fell apart. However, as neither parties have officially confirmed anything, you may want to take this with a grain of salt, just in case.
But in any way, it seems the FIFA series of football titles is about to make a grand comeback ahead of the World Cup as FIFA has recently announced the Digital Football Strategy with plans to extend the brand across other esports, and digital platforms through partnerships with multiple developers and publishers. And the all-new approach will see FIFA transitioning from a single-partner model towards a structured and multi-partner ecosystem orchestrator: “allowing the organisation to continuously improve reach and relevance across multiple gaming genres, platforms and audiences.”
And what it all really boils down to, is the current full lineup of titles that include the following:
- Football Manager 26
- eFootball
- FIFA Rivals
- FIFA World Cup
- FIFA Heroes
- FIFA Super Soccer
All of these titles are now under FIFA and will provide a far more genre-encompassing experience of the iconic sports for all players.
