By john How EA Sports Built the World’s Largest Football Game
EA Sports’ FIFA franchise has been the dominant football game for over three decades. But its online iteration, particularly FIFA Online and FIFA Ultimate Team, transformed the series into one of the most lucrative online gaming operations in history.
FIFA Online in Asia
FIFA Online launched in South Korea in 2006 as a free-to-play massively multiplayer football game. It became enormously popular in Asia, especially in Korea, China, and Vietnam.
Unlike the boxed FIFA games sold in the West, FIFA Online suntik4d used a free entry model with paid card packs and player upgrades. It was a glimpse of what FIFA Ultimate Team would later become globally.
FIFA Ultimate Team’s Empire
FUT, introduced in 2009, allowed players to build dream teams by opening packs of player cards. The mechanic was essentially a gacha system applied to football. It became phenomenally successful.
By the late 2010s, FUT was reportedly generating over a billion dollars per year for EA. It became one of the most profitable single features in any video game.
Controversy and Regulation
FUT faced significant criticism over predatory monetization, particularly around its loot box mechanics. Belgium, the Netherlands, and other countries restricted FUT pack sales. EA fought these regulations in court.
The debate over whether FUT counts as gambling continues. Studies have linked excessive FUT spending to financial harm in young players.
Splitting from FIFA
In 2023, EA Sports ended its partnership with FIFA, rebranding the series as EA Sports FC. The change was largely about licensing economics, but it marked the end of an era.
Despite the rebrand, the gameplay model continued unchanged. The Ultimate Team mode that built EA’s online football empire remains the centerpiece. Football may be the most popular sport on Earth, and FIFA’s online empire reflected that reality at a scale few other games have matched.