EA Sports secures FIFA rights until 2022

Sports franchise will continue to be made and published by EA for a further nine years. Mega-publisher EA has announced that it has extended its deal to continue making FIFA titles for another nine years, meaning that a FIFA 22 may be all but inevitable one day. Under the terms of the agreement, EA Sports maintains exclusive rights to all things FIFA in the videogames industry, including those based on the World Cup. “EA Sports released the first FIFA-branded football game in 1993, and 20 years later our partnership with FIFA continues to be very strong,” said Andrew Wilson, Executive VP. “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.” Jérôme Valcke, FIFA Secretary General, praised the deal, saynig that the FIFA games are a key component in spreading the group is “values”, pointing out that 2.5 million gamers took part in this year’s FIFA Interactive World Cup. The company recently lifted the lid on the upcoming FIFA 14, showcasing an array of new features that promise to make the gameplay faster-paced and more realistic, with retailers already listing the game as available this October. FIFA 13, released last October, sold over 1 million copies in under 24 hours and 4.5 million within the first five days, making it the top-selling title in over 40 countries.