The developers of Fut 25 Coins FC 25 have expressed a positive outlook towards the emergence of new competition in the soccer video game market, especially amid speculations about a new FIFA game being developed.
EA Sports abandoned the FIFA license in 2022 and launched its new FC series with FC 24 in 2023. However, the FIFA series is anticipated to return with a different developer, rumored to be 2K, which is partnering with FIFA. In May, FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed a new FIFA game is in progress, stating:
"We will develop a new e-game, because (the) football simulation game is called FIFA. For hundreds of millions of children around the world, when they play (a) football simulation game, they play FIFA. It cannot be named something else. We are developing with new partners a new game which obviously, as everything we do, will be the best. So get ready for the new FIFA e-game."
2K, owned by Take-Two Interactive, is already known for its successful annual sports games, including the NBA 2K series. The new FIFA game might be launched under the 2K banner, potentially titled FIFA 2K.
During an FC 25 reveal event at EA Sports’ Vancouver headquarters, IGN spoke with Karthik Venkateshan, Line Producer on the Ultimate Team mode, and Richard Walz, Game Design Director on Ultimate Team, regarding the potential new FIFA game from a major AAA publisher.
Venkateshan responded:
"Yes. As creatives, it's always so interesting to see how other people are approaching the same problem spaces that we're approaching, how they are interpreting football, how they want to solve the same things for other players. And I don't know, it energizes me as a football fan myself."
Walz added:
"I agree. And as a player as well, I think it can only be a great thing for our players in our community. Yeah, that's great."
Sam Rivera, Lead Gameplay Producer, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that competition is beneficial:
"We welcome competition. I think it's good for everyone to see what other football simulation engines can do. Absolutely. What I can tell you is that creating a deep simulation experience like a football simulation experience, it takes a long time. It takes many, many years of polishing, balancing. We literally every year check in thousands of changes based on community feedback and improvements that we want to make to the game. All that just doesn't appear from scratch. You need to build it over the years. So what we have done over the last 15, 20 years for us, we're very happy with our game and we'll continue."
EA Sports has dominated the football video game market for years, especially with the struggles of Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer series, which rebranded to eFootball with mixed results. Facing competition from a new FIFA series by a different developer might be unusual for EA Sports developers, but as Walz suggested, it will ultimately benefit the players. EA Sports is often criticized for failing to justify the $70 cost of its annual releases, with some suggesting a free-to-play model with paid expansions would be better. The new FIFA game could shake up the buy FC 25 Coins market and challenge EA Sports to innovate further.