As The EA Sports FC Era Dawns, FIFA 23 Removed From Digital Platforms (arstechnica.com) 28
EA has suddenly removed downloadable versions of FIFA 23 from multiple digital storefronts. The delisting comes earlier than expected for the title and coincides with the company's launch of the newly FIFA-license-free EA Sports FC 24. From a report: While many reports suggest there has been a recent mass purge of all legacy FIFA games from online stores, EA has a history of delisting older sports titles at a pretty regular cadence. FIFA 22, for instance, was delisted from digital storefronts in May, roughly seven months after the launch of the subsequent FIFA 23. And FIFA 21 wasn't taken down from Steam until June 2022, about eight months after FIFA 22's launch.
FIFA 23, on the other hand, has been delisted less than a year from its October 2022 launch. SteamDB tracking data suggests that the delisting came on September 21, the day before the new EA Sports FC became available for a 10-hour early access trial for EA Play members. The Steam store page for FIFA 23 now notes that the delisting comes "at the request of the publisher" and that the game "will not appear in search." The game also no longer appears on Steam's EA publisher page. FIFA 23's earlier-than-expected delisting could have something to do with the dissolution of EA's 30-year licensing relationship with FIFA. That ending came amid reports that EA was dissatisfied with gameplay restrictions and licensing costs demanded by FIFA.
FIFA 23, on the other hand, has been delisted less than a year from its October 2022 launch. SteamDB tracking data suggests that the delisting came on September 21, the day before the new EA Sports FC became available for a 10-hour early access trial for EA Play members. The Steam store page for FIFA 23 now notes that the delisting comes "at the request of the publisher" and that the game "will not appear in search." The game also no longer appears on Steam's EA publisher page. FIFA 23's earlier-than-expected delisting could have something to do with the dissolution of EA's 30-year licensing relationship with FIFA. That ending came amid reports that EA was dissatisfied with gameplay restrictions and licensing costs demanded by FIFA.
So... abandonware then? (Score:2)
I mean... if they don't even sell it... and will not anymore...
Re:So... abandonware then? (Score:4, Funny)
No my dude, there's a key difference.
You see, an organisation with a reputation as impeccable, and as law abiding as FIFA has to take such regrettable measures as this to protect it's globally respected brand, and EA as a universally well regarded patron of the electronic arts have to respect FIFA's wishes in partnering to create their shared artistic vision.
(AUDIBLY SPITS)
So this isn't at all like abandonware.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
No, just "we don't want you to play our old stuff, buy our new crap" ware.
Just the word FIFA (Score:5, Interesting)
It seems that the only change is that "FIFA" is disappearing from the game. Apparently the teams/rosters are all still there, it's just the FIFA branding that's gone. I don't think anyone will notice or care.
Re: (Score:2)
You think?
I'm fairly sure that most players really, really, really, REALLY care. I mean, think about it, who would buy the same damn game year after year for 60+ bucks if it wasn't for the "authentic" player roster?
Re: (Score:2)
Aren't you agreeing with him? He's saying the teams/rosters are important, but the FIFA branding is not?
Re: (Score:2)
I read that differently.
Possibly true. I kinda think what the players will really care about is whether the team jerseys are right and whether the facial textures of the players fit, and of course whether the players are playing for the right team. People may be wondering about the lack of FIFA and purchases may be delayed until they can be certain that they get "their" annual fix, but what they really care about is the teams and the players, not so much the branding.
Re: (Score:2)
Yep, FIFA have shot themselves in the foot. They were demanding $250M a year for their license, which was crazy. From what I understand, FIFA weren't even providing the rights to team/player names, EA were licensing those independently.
https://www.beyondgames.biz/16... [beyondgames.biz]
Re: (Score:2)
I don't think anyone will notice or care
Consciously? You're right, probably not in any meaningful numbers at least.
They are losing tremendous brand recognition though as the name "Fifa" has been attached to these games since the Sega Genesis was a thing. The avid fans will of course have no problem with the name switch but that's not who you need name recognition for.
Fun fact (Score:3, Informative)
So they thought "Well, for football you go to the NFL, for basketball it's the NBA, guess we need to find the Soccer version of that".
And FIFA Soccer was born. It just so happened to be one of the best soccer games at the time, and the only one that really modernized with the times (Sensible Soccer is a much, much better game but those little guys didn't really cut it by 1999).
Yawn (Score:3)
And nothing will be missed.
Everything from EA Sports is garbage. FIFA being one of the worst offenders. The fact that anyone willingly forks over money to this company every release is insanity. Sports games used to be good before EA started touching them.
Re: Yawn (Score:3)
You mean like John Madden Football (1990)? Oh, my bad that was released by who? EA.
Pfff... (Score:2)
Pfff.... more like Mutant League Football was peak https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
Just the fact that you can blow up members of the opposing team with dynamite buts it wrung above anything EA has done before or since with football!
Re: (Score:2)
Right. EA. Not EA Sports. EA Sports wasn't a thing until a year later in '91. Though I'm also realizing I left off a "Sports" when referencing EA Sports at the end on my OP by mistake.
Re: (Score:1)
You are free to have your own a opinion but I love Madden games. I typically play a release four or five years and then switch to the latest release for updated rosters. Madden 18 was a solid experience and I played it until I bought Madden 23 on release day. Worth every penny and I'll likely be playing this version for at least two more seasons or longer if I can't get Madden 25 or 26 on Xbox1, which is a very real possibility.
Then I'll have to decide if I want to buy a new used console to play the newest
Re: (Score:3)
They would be even better if competition was allowed to exist to force them to actually improve the game, because fun or not, it's not that well-programmed. They would be better if they sold you a base game, and then a yearly (cheaper) DLC to update the rosters. There are basically no other improvements or changes from year to year within the same console series that are worth forking money over for. They are the laziest programmers to exist in the world, because they do next to no work and charge you full
Re: (Score:2)
There is nothing stopping another dev team from making a non-NFL American Football game. In fact, there are indeed other football games.
https://www.psu.com/news/best-... [psu.com]
-Axis Football 2024 https://store.steampowered.com... [steampowered.com] on all 3 PC platforms, no less.
NFL Pro Era (VR) https://store.steampowered.com... [steampowered.com]
Maximum Football https://store.steampowered.com... [steampowered.com]
Clearly there are options but if you want to play Madden with a current roster, you pay your $60 every year and that's that. Considering the amount of gaming
Re: (Score:2)
There is nothing stopping another dev team from making a non-NFL American Football game. In fact, there are indeed other football games.
No one wants to play or buy those versions. These do not "compete" with the Madden series. That's like saying a wheelchair competes with a car because they both have wheels.
There is a franchise mode that lets you play any team you want through the whole season or you can even do a fantasy draft (this was a lot of fun because it was like fantasy football but I got to play the team).
Something that has been present in essentially every football game ever. And just because you get a good amount of enjoyment for your $60 doesn't mean that the company even did $60 worth of work, which in the EA Sports world is always true. Have you fun, enjoy your sports games, but absolutely be mad and demand better at the same time.
Re: (Score:2)
I closed those tags, but ok /. Thanks for fucking that up.
FüÃYballclub (Score:2)
Wait, do I have to change the variables? (Score:2)
It's no longer $EA-Game $year and I'll be done with it?
Damn.