The blockbuster soccer video game franchise from Electronic Arts (EA), no longer linked to FIFA, allows mixed-gender lineups in fantasy matches that have triggered sexist pushback even before its release on Friday.
Early access to the game, now renamed FC 24, began last week with the novel feature of female soccer stars virtually taking to the pitch with male counterparts for fantasy squad matches in an “Ultimate Team” mode of online play.
A version of the game tailored for mobile devices powered by Apple or Android operating systems was released on Tuesday.
Photo: AFP
Spotlights on female soccer stars such as Sam Kerr and Alexia Putellas reflect the reality of the sport today, something the franchise wants to capture, EA Sports FC vice president of brand David Jackson said.
“It’s not a moral thing; it’s not a cause-related thing,” Jackson said of fielding women soccer stars. “It’s a faithful replica representation of the real world of football.”
Fans of the franchise offended by the idea of women and men athletes battling in mixed matches have bashed the game in online posts.
“This is like putting go-karts in F1 and racing them together,” a critic groused in a chat forum on YouTube.
“Putellas is actually good though,” another commenter said. “Don’t be sexist.”
The launch of FC 24 marks the end of an alliance with world soccer governing body FIFA that spanned three decades.
Since launching the franchise in 1993 with FIFA, the annually refreshed lineup has become a key part of EA’s business, boasting 150 million players last year alone.
The franchise has shed the FIFA name for the first time as the California-based video game giant pursues a vision of becoming a “global football platform” incorporating broadcast games, live match play and more.
“There are a number of different ways we can grow and expand and we intend to do that in the future,” Jackson said.
Along with freeing EA from contractual constraints that came with carrying the FIFA name, the rebranding also enables the franchise to avoid being marred by scandals at the governing body.
“If we’re going to carry the name of the organization as the name of our product, we’ve got to make sure that name carries the requisite level of quality, integrity and weight over time,” Jackson said. “Now that we own that name, it’s all on us.”
As the franchise evolves, EA could explore incorporating advertising or real-time matches into its game engine, eventually allowing live-action viewers to play out matches their own way.
“You could be watching an English Premier League game,” Jackson envisioned.
“If you don’t like the score at halftime, then you jump out of that and into our game and kind of rewrite history,” he said.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Matvei Michkov did not score on Monday, but the Philadelphia rookie had a hand in both goals as hosts the Flyers earned a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale got the goals for the Flyers (31-36-9, 71 points), who won their third straight. Michkov and Travis Konecny assisted on both. Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots to earn his first win since March 1, ending a personal six-game losing streak. Zachary L’Heureux got the lone goal for Nashville. Michael McCarron and Brady Skjei got the assists for the Predators (27-39-8, 62 points), who have just four goals in their
RSS