EA Sports FC 24, previously known as FIFA, is set to launch on September 29, according to reputable data miner billbil-kun. The annual football simulation game will be available in two editions: Standard and Ultimate. The Ultimate edition offers a week of early access, starting from September 22, unlike FIFA 23 which only provided three days. Additionally, players subscribed to the EA Play service will receive a 10-hour free trial. This leak comes at a convenient time as it aligns with the publisher’s promise to reveal more information about EA Sports FC in July. It is worth noting that this title signifies EA Sports’ first football game since parting ways with the global footballing federation and losing the iconic ‘FIFA’ name.
Leaked File Sizes and Platforms
Twitter user @ALumia_Italia, known for scraping the Xbox backend, has leaked the file sizes for EA Sports FC 24’s closed beta versions. The Xbox Series X version weighs in at 41.57GB, while the older generation Xbox One beta is 39.23GB. It is not surprising that the game will be available on older consoles, as the FIFA franchise has always aimed to appeal to a larger player base across all markets and platforms. Currently, there is no information regarding file sizes for the PC and PlayStation versions.
Pressure to Deliver
With FIFA no longer in the picture, EA Sports faces increased pressure to produce quality titles that replicate the enormous success of its predecessors. While very little is known about EA Sports FC at the moment, it is expected that the popular Ultimate Team game mode will be included in the package. The publisher unveiled the official logo for EA Sports FC in April, which features an upside-down triangle derived from the in-game marker floating above players’ heads. Although the franchise has undergone a name change, significant alterations to the base gameplay are unlikely.
Disagreements and Licensing
EA Sports encountered financial disagreements with the FIFA federation, as the latter allegedly demanded over $1 billion every four years to license the ‘FIFA’ name for the long-running series. In response, EA CEO Andrew Wilson expressed his willingness to drop the ‘FIFA’ branding from their games, stating that the value derived from the license, outside of World Cup years, was limited to “four letters on the box.” Nevertheless, EA Sports will retain most of its existing licenses for football clubs and top leagues, including the Premier League, which reportedly cost $588 million.
Meanwhile, FIFA announced plans to collaborate with third-party developers to create its own game. FIFA President Gianni Infantino emphasized that the FIFA name is the only authentic and original title, assuring fans that future iterations, such as FIFA 23, FIFA 24, and beyond, will continue to bear the FIFA name and uphold its reputation as the best football game available.
If the leaks are accurate, EA Sports FC 24 will be available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X starting September 29. However, it remains uncertain whether the game will also be released on the Nintendo Switch, like previous entries in the series.
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