EA SPORTS FC 24 Sales Grow by 7% in First Year Without FIFA Name

It looks like EA didn’t need the FIFA brand after all

On January 30, 2024, Electronic Arts (EA) reported its financial results for its third quarter which ended on December 31. As an overview, EA SPORTS FC 24 exceeded their expectations, delivering a 7% increase on net bookings over last year's results. This disproves any suggestions that the FIFA name was crucial to the success of EA’s Soccer-based video game series, as FC 24 has outperformed a year that included the biggest Soccer tournament of them all, the World Cup.

“EA SPORTS FC outperformed expectations again this quarter, delivering 7% year-over-year net bookings growth, as momentum continued through the FC brand transition,” said Stuart Canfield, CFO of EA. “We will continue to build upon the strength within our portfolio, while prioritizing investments in our largest opportunities for multi-year growth.”

However, EA SPORTS Madden NFL also saw a boost in sales. A 5% increase in net bookings over last year, sees EA’s two top franchises continue to grow. This is no surprise as both the general audience for Soccer and the NFL continue to expand. In the real world, the audience for Soccer has grown in the United States due to the arrival of Lionel Messi in the MLS, and Apple TV’s purchasing of the broadcast rights. On the other hand, the NFL audience has grown worldwide and continues to grow in the US, leading to more sales of the virtual experiences.

EA SPORTS

“Our incredible teams delivered a strong Q3, entertaining hundreds of millions of people across our portfolio, driving deep engagement and record live services,” said Andrew Wilson, CEO of EA. “We remain focused on growing our biggest franchises and delivering new, innovative games and experiences for our global communities.”

It’s expected that EA’s video games will continue to grow, with an anticipated new addition to the Battlefield franchise coming next year. While Battlefield 2042 wasn’t a hit with the community, there is a large section of the gaming community who wishes for the glory days of Battlefield to return. So 2024 could be a big opportunity for EA as a whole. However, with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 proving to be a success, and the release of XDefiant on the horizon, this will be a tough market for Battlefield to launch in.