Game changers: How EA Sports made a video game the epicenter of soccer culture

Key Points:

• The FIFA video game franchise began as a low-budget, side project by Electronic Arts in the early 1990s, initially facing skepticism due to soccer's limited popularity in the U.S. at the time.
• The game's innovative use of an isometric view and focus on realism distinguished it from competitors, leading to rapid growth and global success, with over 325 million units sold by 2021.
• EA secured a licensing deal with FIFA, which initially only allowed use of the FIFA name but no official teams or players, prompting the developers to create their own player names and teams in early versions.
• The franchise has significantly influenced soccer culture, helping increase American interest in the sport, and has expanded to include women's teams and advanced features like Ultimate Team, despite some criticism over monetization.
• Today, the franchise employs over 1,500 people worldwide, includes thousands of real players and teams, and continues to push technological boundaries, becoming the best-selling sports video game series of all time.