EA Sports has dominated the football game genre for the past 30 years. Recent events sparked FIFA 24’s name change debate, so we are here today to untangle the whole story and give you some context on what is coming next. Continue reading to discover what other football gaming fans think about all of this.
What will be the name of FIFA 24?
The official name of the next EA Sports football game is EA Sports FC 24. Officially, the FIFA series has been discontinued, and the successor is the EA Sports FC series.
Why is FIFA 24 called FC 24?
FIFA 24 is called FC 24 due to the termination of a licensing agreement between EA Sports and FIFA. One of the longest-lasting partnerships in the gaming industry was terminated in October 2022, just after the FIFA 23 release.
What Fans Say About FIFA 24’s Name Change Debate
The first thing real-life sports and EA Sports FC 24 have in common is that they are both made for the fans. Without people cheering on the stadiums or playing sports simulations on their PCs, consoles, and other devices, both are not worth making.
People from FIFA and EA Games know that very well, so let’s see what fans say.
Habits are everything!
Some brand names get incorporated into daily life, the way we talk and interact with each other. An excellent example of this is Google – a company that became a synonym for searching for information.
Football simulation synonym was always a dead race between PES and FIFA until FIFA started introducing more features, like Ultimate Team, which increased sales and became more popular. This is how “Let’s play FIFA” became a synonym for hours of good time with the favorite clubs.
💡 Fun fact: Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) changed its franchise name in 2019 to eFootball.
After everything is said, we would also like to back up this Reddit user who believes that FIFA might stay around for a while. It’s important to remember, though, that FIFA as a term will survive this event, as it’s the name of the international governing body of association football, but also for beach soccer and futsal.
The name change of the FIFA subreddit happened in May 2023 and started another debate between the announcement and the game release.
When iconic companies and games change names, their marketing teams have a lot of weight on their shoulders. Besides marketing the new version of the game, the existing (and massive) fan base is approached with caution.
🔍 Curiosity: The name of the Subreddit was changed to EASportsFC, but the moderator username is still FIFAModerators, as it can’t be modified per Reddit rules.
Some believe that FIFA 24’s online community name change happened too early (May 2023), but let’s be honest – it’s never a perfect moment. Transitioning to such a change takes time, and it’s probably why FIFAModerators decided to implement it on Reddit so early.
Comments on FIFA’s new name
Habits aside, there are some interesting reactions from fans who primarily don’t support the new name. They are unsatisfied with the shift from FIFA and believe the new name could’ve been closer to the gameplay and the overall meaning.
Including the company name in the game title isn’t something rare in the gaming industry nowadays. Let’s take the example of 2K, a company behind famous basketball and wrestling simulations. The series we are talking about are NBA 2K and WWE 2K.
However, it is much easier to fit in 2K as it is often referred to as two-thousands, and the title NBA 2K24 doesn’t seem off at all. With “EA Sports,” it’s a much more difficult task.
This fan pointed out that although FIFA is directly associated with sports simulation in the gaming industry, overall, it has a different meaning. As a “similar” acronym, it shouldn’t be that much of a difference. Right?
To conclude fans’ comments, we wanted to focus on the fact that the name FIFA is now available in the gaming industry! The above-mentioned 2K could be an ideal candidate as they can incorporate both the company name and probably the most recognized name in the sports simulation industry.
Just imagine – FIFA 2K25. Do you think it’s possible? Comment and share your opinion!
The name change will remove all bans?
Source: answers.ea.com
Many players with banned accounts saw a light of hope in the FIFA name change. If you are wondering if my FIFA 23 ban will transfer to EA FC 24, the answer is yes, if it was transferable between previous games.
In other words, the name change doesn’t influence whether the ban is transferable to the latest EA Sports Football release.
Here is the table to check if the ban is transferable to EA Sports FC 24:
| Type of the ban | Description | Does it transfer to EA Sports FC 24? |
|---|---|---|
| 💻🎮 Device ban | You can’t connect to the game server regardless of what account you use on your console or PC. | ✔ Yes |
| ⚽ Franchise ban | Your account was banned, and you can’t connect to the other game versions. | ✔ Yes |
| 💰 Coin distribution ban | You sent or received coins illegitimately, and your account was banned only for the specific version of the game. | ❌ No |
| 📝 Transfer market ban | You can’t access the Companion App, In-Game, or both; it only happens on the current version of the game. | ❌ No |
So, although some assumed that the FIFA name change meant ban removal, this is not true. The policy for ban transfers stayed the same, and the name change didn’t influence it.
Authenticity is the selling point
Source: ea.com
EA Sports management knew that the decision to change a few decades-old name would cause some concerns. When it comes to sports simulation, it is almost always related to licenses and authenticity.
This is why EA Sports decided to market EA Sports FC 24 as “the most authentic football experience.”
Here are the official EA Sports numbers around which they promise authenticity in FC 24:
- 19,000+ fully licensed players
- 700 teams
- 30 leagues
- Exclusive licenses for UEFA competitions:
- UEFA Champions League,
- UEFA Europa League, and
- UEFA Europa Conference League
Something that also grabs the attention is the new women’s football competition in the game: Google Pixel Frauen – Bundesliga. Together with the existing Liga F – plus the Barclays Women’s Super League, EA Sports is following the line it did in the previous version of the game.
Final thoughts
These were our takes on the FIFA 24’s name change debate. Although the old name carries a lot of tradition and weight, EA Sports didn’t want to continue paying a highly-priced license to the leading football association in the world. They created a “new” series and incorporated the company name in the title.
While some agree that the decision to stop spending an insane amount of the budget only on the name, others say it was a mistake. Some go as far as saying that it can open a door for competing companies to brand themselves as FIFA.
One thing is for sure: EA Sports FC 24 promises a lot.
The company continued where the previous title stopped. Continuous improvements are evident, and the name change shouldn’t carry that much weight regarding the experience and authenticity.
Another thing is for sure: Millions of gamers across the globe will still call their favorite football simulation FIFA.
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