FIFA has announced that Web 3.0 blockchain titles will be the first games to use its brand, following the end of its long-standing partnership with EA.
To coincide with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, four games will be released, all with Web 3.0 titles and in some way using blockchain technology.
According to a press release by FIFA: “Gamings and esports are some of the fastest growing opportunities for FIFA as they continue to expand into new digital spaces, platforms and games that are already attracting football fans.”
“New game integrations, all designed with the future of web 3.0 and digital engagement in mind, are playable throughout the tournament, each with a unique spin on the world's biggest football tournament.”
The first game was developed by Altered State Machine, which is a “4v4 casual soccer game played between AI-controlled characters, with player input at fun and tactical moments.” AI League: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Edition . .
According to a separate announcement by Altered State Machine, the game will begin with a 10-week prediction component with "digital and physical rewards" for those who correctly predict real-life matches.
Players taking part in the guessing game will then earn “four unique collections” that will become AI-controlled players in the FIFA World Cup AI League.
The second is a collaboration with Uplandme. FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in Upland Metaverse. Upland is a blockchain-based metadata store where players buy and sell virtual properties.
The FIFA collaboration will allow players to collect “official FIFA World Cup digital assets, including legendary video highlights of the tournament” and travel to a virtual World Cup Lusail Stadium and Village to shop for digital items.
Finally, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in Phygtl, The “fan engagement mobile app” is a collaboration with Phygtl.
The game's description claims that "fans will be able to take a golden globe football from the palm of their hand into real-life settings, with a limited selection of hand-picked FIFA World Cup images and video moments to add and immortalize."
third game Matchday Challenge: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Edition . According to the press release, Matchday is “an extremely engaging casual social prediction game based on football cards.”
It is, in FIFA's words, "a digital representation of eternal fandom".
FIFA has recently split from partner EA after nearly 30 years, and FIFA 23 is the last EA Sports game to use the FIFA branding in the title.
Next year, EA will rename its franchise to EA Sports FC, claiming it will start a "new era in July 2023."
However, FIFA president Gianni Infantino insisted in a stern statement in May that only games that carry his official license would be credible for football fans.
"I can assure you that the only authentic, real game with the Fifa name will be the best game available to players and football fans," he said.
“The name FIFA is the only global, original title. FIFA 23, FIFA 24, FIFA 25 and FIFA 26 and so on – it is the fixed name FIFA and it will stay forever as the BEST.”
In a separate statement in May, FIFA said that leaving EA would allow it to release new football video games developed with third-party studios and publishers, "giving more choice for football and gaming fans" ahead of the Qatar FIFA World Cup. 2022.
According to the football association, discussions were ongoing with “leading game broadcasters, media companies and investors” on the development of a new FIFA simulation football game for 2024 that will compete directly with EA Sports FC.
However, it claimed that multiple "non-simulation" games are already in production and will be released in the third quarter of this year; the first was described as an “adapted gaming experience” that included the FIFA World Cup 2022.
It appears that FIFA is talking about the Web 20 games above, unless other surprise titles are announced before the tournament kicks off on November 3.0.
You may be interested in: Sony partners with NCSoft for MMORPG projects
