Since parting ways with long-time developer Electronic Arts (EA), FIFA has been planning to release its own game.
Gamers and football enthusiasts have been on edge, eagerly awaiting news of FIFA’s next move. The silence is finally breaking, with FIFA initiating a survey on their website, signalling the first step towards developing their own game.
Aiming to create a gaming experience that delivers excitement and plenty more, FIFA invites all gamers to share their opinions on the survey. This could actually be the turning point for FIFA as it aim to bounce back stronger after being left out of the gaming world following the bitter end to its three-decade long partnership with EA.
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino envisions a future where FIFA games continue to lead the football gaming franchise. In March 2023, he stated, “The new FIFA game – the FIFA 25, 26, 27 and so on – will always be the best egame for any girl or boy. We will have news on this very soon. The only authentic, real game that has the FIFA name will be the best one available for gamers and football fans.”
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"The new FIFA game – the FIFA 25, 26, 27 and so on – will always be the best egame for any girl or boy, we will have news on this very soon."— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) March 16, 2023
Such ambitious claims set high expectations, especially when compared against the backdrop of current market leaders in football simulation games. Yet, FIFA’s optimism is palpable.
The Survey
How much do you enjoy gaming? What features make a game unforgettable? How do you prefer to connect with other players online? Would you like to actually own digital items, players or characters? Those are just a few of the questions FIFA is asking in their survey.
According to FIFA, participation is voluntary, with your feedback helping to craft a game that delivers the excitement and challenges you seek. For those interested to participate, you can find the survey here.
We're dedicated to crafting the ultimate gaming experience, so we want to hear from you! 🙌
If you have a spare moment, please share your thoughts and help us shape the future of gaming 🎮
Your feedback will guide us in creating a gaming experience that delivers excitement,… pic.twitter.com/G5aBb4mQoV
— FIFAe (@FIFAe) February 6, 2024
What Game can we Expect from FIFA based on the Survey?
From the questions on the survey, there are several things we noted that FIFA could try to implement on their game.
Firstly, they could allow gamers to actually own digital items, players or characters in game in the form of non-fungible tokens or more commonly known as NFTs. This means that you will be able to take the digital items with you to other games. On top of that, you will be allowed to sell the digital items on virtual marketplaces like OpenSea directly at a fixed price or through an auction.
Secondly, FIFA could create a game providing players with the platform to interact with other gamers online similar to the metaverse, an idea that EA are currently exploring for their games. You could talk to other players, customize your avatar, level up your character and exchange ideas or maybe get support for a real life problem from a friend you made while playing the video game.
Another thing we could see on FIFA’s game is the chance to exchange rewards earned in the game with real-life benefits. For instance, you will be able to use points earned to buy real-life merchandise.
While there were no direct questions pointing to the football gameplay aspect of the game, FIFA did mention the possibility to “pretend to be a sport coach/ star/ team member etc” and replay a match after losing against the same opponent.
If we look at the survey as a whole, it’s pretty clear the international football federation is planning to develop an entire virtual world around a football game that could also include quests, making it basically a sports RPG.
FIFA Left Behind on the Esports Scene
While EA is making big steps on the esports scene with major tournaments, including FC Pro Open and the upcoming eChampions League (eCL), FIFA has been left behind.
FIFA has no upcoming esports events scheduled publicly, and could only return after launching their planned game, which could be in its early stages of development. The return of FIFA to the esports scene could see tournaments such as the FIFAe World Cup make headlines again, as they highlighted how important the FIFAe brand is in the survey.
What’s Next?
With more possible surveys to come, we will soon get to know more details about the game FIFA are planning to launch in the future.
FIFA and EA ended their partnership in 2022 after negotiations over a new deal hit the wall. Whereas EA went on to release their own game known as EA Sports FC, FIFA are yet to develop their football game. But judging from the survey they are currently conducting, we could be hearing an announcement about FIFA’s game soon.
