The football video game world saw a shake-up today as Konami and FIFA, long-time competitors, signed their first deal following EA Sports’ exit from the iconic FIFA series. But before getting too excited, this partnership is limited to esports.

For years, Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) clashed with EA Sports’ hugely successful FIFA series, until Konami shifted to the free-to-play eFootball. EA dominated the market by securing exclusive rights to top leagues like the Premier League and La Liga, while Konami was left fighting for a smaller share of the market.

In 2022, EA parted ways with the FIFA license after reports surfaced that FIFA, the global football governing body, had demanded more than $1 billion for each four-year World Cup cycle. In 2023, EA rebranded its game series as EA SPORTS FC with relatively few changes. Rumours circulated that Take-Two, under its 2K Games label, might acquire the FIFA license, though in August, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick admitted that competing with EA Sports FC would be no easy task.

Konami Steps Up for FIFAe World Cup

Now, Konami and FIFA have teamed up for the FIFAe World Cup, with eFootball stepping in to replace EA Sports’ FIFA games for both console and mobile competitions. However, this deal doesn’t mean Konami is taking over FIFA’s main video game series or rebranding eFootball as FIFA, but it does mark a notable shift in the ongoing competition between video game makers and the football world.

EA will be watching this space closely. In July, EA Sports even expressed openness to real competition in football video games amid rumours of a new FIFA title.

In May, FIFA president Gianni Infantino stoked these rumours by confirming that a new football game was in the works, stating:

“We are developing a new e-game, because the football simulation game is called FIFA. For millions of children worldwide, when they play a football simulation game, they play FIFA. It can’t be called anything else. We’re working with new partners to make it the best.”

What Could a New FIFA Game Look Like?

If 2K Games were to take on the FIFA license, we might see the rise of FIFA 2K, following the model of their successful NBA 2K series. Should FIFA team up with Konami, perhaps eFIFA or Pro Evolution FIFA could be next—or maybe we’ll simply see the return of FIFA with a fresh year added to the title.