Just two days before the release of the first game under its replacement franchise, EA Sports FC 24, on September 29, EA appears to have removed every FIFA game from every digital gaming retailer, including Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation.
The FIFA video game franchise, which debuted in 1993, is one of the most commercially successful video game franchises of all time. It underwent continuous evolution over the years in order to accurately replicate real-world football events and to provide gameplay modes that millions of players enjoy around the world.
EA’s annual football game, now called EA FC, no longer sports the FIFA name in its title. All prior entries in the series have been delisted from all major storefronts.
Every FIFA title from 14 up to 23 can’t be purchased anymore. FIFA 22 & 23 can still be played via EA Play. pic.twitter.com/VupU3Off44
— MauroNL (@MauroNL3) September 26, 2023
The delisting took place suddenly, but players quickly noticed it. Even titles from FIFA 14 have entries on the Xbox Store, but “currently unavailable.” is labeled on them.
When searching for FIFA on Steam, EA Sports FC 24 comes up as the top result. The message “At the publisher’s request, EA SPORTS FIFA 23 is unlisted on the Steam store and will not appear in search” can still be seen on FIFA 23’s product page on Steam.
But it seems like EA Play, which is also a component of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, still makes FIFA 22 and 23 playable as part of a subscription. Naturally, players use FIFA Points in the game’s Ultimate Team mode and they can purchase it from a variety of retailers. Issues with licensing are probably the reason for the games’ delisting. After a 30-year relationship, the partnership between EA and the world football governing body FIFA is over.
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EA is now operating independently, renaming its soccer franchise EA Sports FC. The termination of EA’s contract with FIFA probably means that it no longer has the right to market even older games under the FIFA brand. Aside from the name change, the lack of a licensing agreement means that the tried-and-true FIFA formula may undergo some adjustments in EA Sports FC 24.
EA Sports FC 24 will launch worldwide on September 29
EA FC 24 Key Dates:
September 19th: Creator Access
September 20th: Web App
September 22nd: Early Access
September 29th: Full Release pic.twitter.com/TZ1JYgVo9Z— EA FC 24 News (@FC24News) September 13, 2023