The FIFA video game series is one of the world’s longest-running and most popular. Though it seems like the organization FIFA now plans on revamping its video game series without EA Sports, and FIFA 23 may very well be the last iteration of its kind, there’s no doubt that the eSport will continue as a strong favorite.
In other words, regardless of how FIFA’s new partnership with another video game developer pans out, there will always be eSports leagues that focus on an EA Sports FIFA release. Around the world, dozens of eSports leagues offer competitions focused on the game — from the virtual Bundesliga to the ePremier League to the EA Sports Cup.
After all, FIFA is unlike any other video game series. It beautifully blends the lines between reality, simulation, and recreation in a way that FPSs and MOBAs can’t. Let’s explore what makes FIFA players the ultimate eSports athletes.
A Long History of Competition
Back in 1993, EA Sports released the very first iteration of the series under its former moniker, Extended Play Productions. Simply put, FIFA has been around for longer than most other eSports games. In fact, the first FIFA release coincides with the reformation of the Premier League, making the sports simulation as old as one of its primary leagues.
The FIFAe World Cup got its start not long after. In 2004, FIFA hosted the first FIFAe World Cup—then billed as the FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC). This makes FIFA one of the oldest eSports continuously played in the world, formed only seven years after the first official StarCraft eSports leagues. Many modern FIFA players remember this era in the game—which far precedes the Twitch boom.
The Ultimate eAthlete
Above, we discussed how FIFA players can weave in their real-world knowledge of the sport to improve their gaming. What makes FIFA players some of the best eSports athletes in the industry is that, in order to excel, they actually must keep their finger on the pulse. That’s because FIFA games include real-life stats from real-life players.
Though not nearly as stringent as fantasy stats, and usually skewed with some type of subjectivity, in-game player scores and stats correlate to real-life outcomes. Players don’t have to study recordings of old games to help improve their play, and the stats used for each new release are based on the previous season—but this real-world crossover won’t be found elsewhere in eSports.
Rather than select imaginative characters or build out their own customized avatar, FIFA players are working with humans. This adds a dash of intrigue—one that tends to double anytime the World Cup comes around and players show more interest in national tournaments. Unlike other games on the market, players can compete to represent their national team or their favorite association team.