Ben-DutkaHope you like the FIFA games by EA, 'cuz you're going to be seeing them for a long time.
Today, EA Sports, a division of Electronic Arts Inc., and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) have announced an extension of their existing licensing agreement. The extension brings the expiration date to December 31, 2022.
Given the terms of this agreement, EA Sports retains the exclusive rights to release "FIFA-branded action and management videogames." The publisher also holds the exclusive rights to release the official FIFA World Cup game, along with keeping its status as Presenting Partner of the FIFA Interactive World Cup. Said EA Sports executive vice president Andrew Wilson:
"EA SPORTS released the first FIFA-branded soccer game in 1993, and 20 years later our partnership with FIFA continues to be very strong. Our franchise has become the benchmark for quality and innovation in the sports videogame genre, and we look forward to many more years of connecting with consumers around the world with our games carrying the prestigious FIFA name."
FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke added that the FIFA titles "are a key experiential component in our work to communicate the FIFA brand and its values all over the world." Valcke cited the 2.5 million fans that competed in this year's FIFA Interactive Cup, and we know sales of each annual game entry are always high. The press release also claims that FIFA is "the most critically acclaimed sports videogame franchise in the world," with over 65 million games played every week.
Long live FIFA !