Konami has officially replaced EA as FIFA’s new esports partner

FIFA is making some major changes to its esports scene as the company confirms that It is no longer working with EA on its annual esports tournament. For many years FIFA dominated the video game space thanks to its licensing deal with EA that helped keep competitors like Konami out of the spotlight. Konami long tried to cap FIFA’s reign with its own Pro Evolution Soccer series before finally pivoting to focus on the free-to-play market with eFootballA move that’s seemingly paying dividends thanks to a new contract.

Per GamesIndustry.biz, FIFA has partnered with Konami to host its FIFAe World Cup esports event which will be played with eFootball Rather than EA Sports FC 25. Starting today, players can participate in qualifying matches that will ultimately feed into two major tournaments set to take place in 2024: one will be dedicated to the mobile version of eFootball While the others will be on consoles. The first championship will include players from around the world, including Brazil, Costa Rica, England, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea Republic, Malaysia, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Thailand and Turkey.

A major promotion for the game

While Konami’s eFootball has managed to sustain a decent audience since the release of the first game in 2021, An official partnership with FIFA is a massive step forward for the game’s brand recognition. There is a massive esports scene built around football games and EA’s loss of the FIFA license has led to its last EA Sports FC Games are losing some of the hype generated by such a massive name. Konami’s move to partner with FIFA is a smart move as it draws more attention to its offering, placing EA further on the back foot.

Whether the FIFAe World Cup deal goes beyond organizing tournaments within eFootball It remains to be seen, but given its shaky history with EA, FIFA is likely cautious as it enters into another potentially lengthy contract with a video game publisher. eFootball May not struggle for players, but those initially turned off by the game’s messy launch may see the FIFAe World Cup as proof of an improved product. This can only mean good things for the free-to-play football game.

Accessibility is key to a welcoming environment

While it can be argued that EA Sports FC 25 is the more technically impressive game, One of the biggest benefits of hosting the FIFAe World Cup in eFootball is that it is free to play. Not having to spend money on a premium title opens the doors to even more players, and I believe more players makes for a more enjoyable experience. FIFA’s decision to join forces with Konami is both a win for them eFootball community and a smart move for both companies.

Source: GameIndustry.biz