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The launch of the official Fifa World Cup video game has become an important part of the pre-tournament build-up for a whole generation of fans.
There have been official World Cup games since the 1980s, including the infamously terrible World Cup Carnival in 1986 – a reskin of an older game that was so bad that it sparked mass returns, angry letters in magazines and even the eventual bankruptcy of the developer.
However it was EA, which acquired the Fifa licence after it was unable to secure the rights to the 1994 Fifa World Cup, that set the template with the critically-acclaimed World Cup 98 by combining authentic audio, graphics and presentation into a digital time capsule of the world’s biggest sporting event.
Technical advances ensured these games became more realistic and more immersive, becoming the closest thing that nearly every human on Earth would get to playing in the real thing.
EA is not producing a World Cup game for the first time in three decades (Image credit: Getty Images)
Fifa’s post-EA reality
But ahead of the 2026 Fifa World Cup things are different. For the first time in three decades, EA Sports is not producing a World Cup game following its well-publicised split with world soccer’s governing body four years ago.
Instead, this tournament marks the first real test of Fifa’s independent gaming strategy. Video games are too important a source of revenue and engagement for it to ignore, but realistic, high quality soccer simulations are incredibly complex, time-consuming and expensive to develop.
Meanwhile EA Sports, which has rebranded FIFA as EA FC, has such a dominant position that it is difficult for anyone else to compete. The publisher has a seemingly unassailable head start in terms of technical ability, an entrenched market position that ensures critical mass for key online modes, and a vast portfolio of exclusive licences.
Even great rival Konami, whose Pro Evolution Soccer series challenged FIFA critically and commercially in the 2000s, has opted to create a free-to-play (F2P) title called eFootball rather than compete directly.
Yet despite having four years to figure out how to bring a new game to market, there are no signs that a rival simulation is forthcoming.
Fifa’s Digital Football Strategy, published on the eve of the World Cup, could be described as ‘multi-faceted’ or ‘scattergun’, depending on your point of view. But it’s clear that a single, traditional World Cup game might be a thing of the past.
Netflix and skill
A reported tie-up with Grand Theft Auto publisher 2K, one of the few studios with the development and financial credentials to compete toe-to-toe with EA Sports, never materialised and instead the official video game of the 2026 World Cup has been created by Delphi Interactive and distributed via Netflix.
At the time of the split with EA, Fifa president Gianni Infantino boldly declared, without detail, that any video game bearing its name would be “the best”. Yet, this clearly isn’t the case given the negative critical reception to the game.
The timing of the release suggests development went down to the wire. Whereas most official World Cup games are released several weeks before the tournament to capitalise on a very tight sales window that slams shut once the final has been played, ‘FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition’ was released digitally on 11th June – the same day as the opening fixture between Mexico and South Africa.
Meanwhile, the decision to prioritise mobile devices and connected televisions rather than consoles and PC means Fifa isn’t serious about competing with EA directly.
But going mobile-exclusive is a shrewd move. It could take years for Fifa to create a viable product to rival EA FC, whereas mobile titles – especially ones that don’t require an up-front cost – can be of lower quality as they don’t need to justify a price tag.
Mobile games are also hugely popular in certain parts of the world and don’t require players to own expensive hardware. Meanwhile, the wide reach and marketing clout of Netflix should mean the new Fifa title finds its way into plenty of players’ hands by virtue of its home screen.
The partnership with the streaming service also ensures a new source of revenue without the need to resort to onerous advertising or in-app purchase practices. Netflix will use the game to bolster its sporting credentials and to add value to a subscription.
The fact that the game is subtitled ‘Launch Edition’ is clearly designed to set expectations for the scope and the quality of the final product. But it also offers an indication that Fifa intend for this to be an evergreen gaming platform that outlasts the World Cup and engages fans over the long term.
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Greater flexibility
The Netflix game is only one spoke of a wider gaming strategy that comprises multiple products targeting multiple audiences on multiple platforms.
The EA relationship was hugely successful financially and in terms of engagement, but it was limited to a single product and Fifa was unable to partner with other publishers for more experimental projects.
One of the first things Fifa did after the split was launch on Roblox. Its Fifa Super Soccer environment is one of the most popular sporting experiences on the platform, accumulating more than 1.1 billion visits and averaging 1.5 million daily gameplay sessions. This summer it will be transformed into a World Cup event hub, featuring playable games and rewards, in a bid to reach younger audiences.
World soccer’s governing body has also dabbled with various Web 3.0 and mobile games such as FIFA Rivals, while it has also partnered with Sega’s Football Manager and eFootball on esports initiatives, filling the void left by EA. Indeed, there is a fully-licensed World Cup mode in Football Manager which naturally begs the question why there isn’t such an option in eFootball.
Better together?
It’s unclear whether licensing discussions were ever held with EA Sports but ideally there would be an official World Cup mode in EA FC 26. EA’s vast, engaged player base would be a huge source of engagement for Fifa’s soccer showpiece and perhaps even a route to market for official broadcasters, mimicking EA’s arrangement with Major League Soccer (MLS).
Instead, EA has created an unofficial international tournament mode called ‘The World’s Game’ which includes all 48 teams at the real World Cup, most of which are licensed, and added various international-themed events in the money-spinning Ultimate Team mode.
Yet ‘The World’s Game’ is a pale imitation of EA’s previous licensed World Cup games, lacking the same level of immersion and polish.
It’s also somewhat ironic that the publisher which prides itself on realism is reduced to a form of guerilla marketing and highlights the tragedy that EA and Fifa were unable to reach an agreement four years ago.
Fifa’s deal with EA Sports was undoubtedly one of the best in the industry given it received around US$150 million each year despite owning very little intellectual property that could be used in-game, except for the World Cup itself. The FIFA series was also hugely effective at reaching younger audiences, many of whom only interact with soccer via gaming.
The financial success of EA FC means EA Sports will have no regrets about rejecting Fifa’s reported demand for more cash. But the anemic ‘World’s Game’ experience demonstrates that the World Cup is still a valuable, desirable licence that would make EA FC just that much better.
Fifa’s long-term strategy may pay dividends but it’s hard to escape the feeling that if both it and EA had just been that but more flexible, everyone would be a bit happier.
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