FIFA says its games will still be "the best" without EA

Following EA's announcement that it would be dropping the FIFA name from its football series in favor of EA Sports FC branding, FIFA itself says it's already working on multiple new games, some of which are due to launch this year.

"I can assure you that the only authentic, real game that has the FIFA name will be the best one available for gamers and football fans," FIFA president Gianni Infantino says in a press release. "The FIFA name is the only global, original title. FIFA 23, FIFA 24, FIFA 25 and FIFA 26, and so on - the constant is the FIFA name and it will remain forever and remain THE BEST [emphasis theirs]."

EA still has exclusive rights to make simulation football games with the FIFA name through the end of the year, and FIFA 23 is set to launch on the usual schedule.

A number of non-simulation games from FIFA are already on the way, some of which will launch in the third quarter of 2022. One of those is a "tailored gaming experience featuring the biggest event on earth, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which will bring new, interactive experiences to fans across the globe."

Details on the other games have not yet been announced, but FIFA says it has a "portfolio" of new titles set to launch in 2022 and 2023. The organization is in talks with "leading game publishers, media companies, and investors" over a new simulation football game for 2024.

FIFA says it's planning to drop exclusivity arrangements going forward, and aims to "work with a range of partners rather than lock up all gaming and esports rights exclusively with one publisher for the long term." The organization announced this part of the plan back in October 2021, shortly after EA first publicly noted that it was considering a new name for its football series.

Competition among the best football games is about to get interesting.