PlayStation Had The Chance To Steal FIFA From EA In The '90s, But Passed

[Gamernyc78]

PlayStation Had The Chance To Steal FIFA From EA In The '90s, But Passed

"I think EA would have responded quite badly to that"

www.timeextension.com

When we were speaking to Tom Stone, EA's former vice president of European marketing, recently for an article on The Making Of FIFA International Soccer, he told us about a memorable incident that happened in the run-up to renewing the license back in 1997, which could have seen Sony steal the exclusive worldwide rights to FIFA from under EA's nose.

The incident, as Stone recalls, came about as ISL (the company at the time that was responsible for licensing the FIFA branding) had reached out to PlayStation of Europe behind EA's back and offered them the exclusive worldwide rights to FIFA.

Stone tells Time Extension, "Chris Deering [the president of Sony PlayStation Europe at the time] met with me and said, ‘We’ve been offered the rights to FIFA Soccer'. I said, ‘You have got to be effing joking. Seriously? ISL has approached you and asked if you would like an exclusive worldwide license for FIFA? After everything we’ve done for them?’ I was really cross. But Chris said to me, ‘I will not sign that deal unless you can’t come to terms with FIFA. That’s your deal. You created that.' Obviously, Chris was looking 'big picture' at the support that EA gave to PlayStation worldwide. I think that would have been an interesting conversation had Sony signed that deal, though. I think EA would have responded quite badly to that."

PlayStation, at the time, already had its own football series: Psygnosis's Adidas Power Soccer series, which was sponsored by the popular Geman sportswear company. These games weren't as successful as FIFA, though, and could have potentially benefitted from nabbing the stronger license. Sony's PlayStation division, however, didn't feel like undermining one of its biggest third-party publishers was a particularly smart business move, so it wisely extended an offer to EA to let them reach its own agreement, which it eventually did leading to a four-year extension.

Obviously, this story makes for a pretty interesting "what if?", but it is also a reasonably good example of just how fragile the relationship between EA and FIFA could be, with both organizations examining ways of getting out of their partnership. According to Marc Aubanel, a producer who worked on various FIFA games in the '90s and early '2000s, EA considered dropping the FIFA brand decades before it eventually happened, but there was always a concern among the company's marketing team about the difficulty of rebranding in the midst of its success.

"We knew we were doing way more for FIFA than they were doing for us from a branding standpoint," says Aubanel. "So we were in discussions about dropping them decades before EA finally dropped them. The only reason they didn’t was because marketing was petrified about losing that brand awareness. We’d built so much equity in that brand. We were tired of paying for it, but every time we had to renegotiate with FIFA, they just didn’t want to take that risk of having to rebrand it."

 

[anonpuffs]

The only reason they didn’t was because marketing was petrified about losing that brand awareness. We’d built so much equity in that brand. We were tired of paying for it, but every time we had to renegotiate with FIFA, they just didn’t want to take that risk of having to rebrand it."

So brave, so stunning. The level of risk taking in EA games is seriously next level, they really bet the farm on a name change, seriously standing ovation pls

 

[Yobo]

Should do it now. They can make a better game and steal the audience. The only reason FIFA does so well is lack of competition and the IP is there for use

Dumbest thing for Sony would be expecting EA not to be bought by Microsoft

 

[Gamernyc78]

Should do it now. They can make a better game and steal the audience. The only reason FIFA does so well is lack of competition and the IP is there for use

Dumbest thing for Sony would be expecting EA not to be bought by Microsoft

Fifa Def a money maker.

 

[Gods&Monsters]

Sony is always too nice with 3rd-parties and then they get backstabbed. They see them as partners but they run to MS first chance they get.

EA, Square, Sega, Activision, Nintendo, Kojima. All traitors.

 

[Say1nMan]

Should do it now. They can make a better game and steal the audience. The only reason FIFA does so well is lack of competition and the IP is there for use

Dumbest thing for Sony would be expecting EA not to be bought by Microsoft

You're actually won't be getting much with the FIFA IP. FIFA doesn't give you the rights to use the leagues and teams so Sony would still need to go spend money getting licenses to teams and players and that is a pipe dream cause EA got all of the major popular licenses of the leagues lock down exclusively. EA's soccer game always sell cause of the licenses of teams and leagues it's why EA had no problem passing on FIFA renewal without hesitation. People bought EA soccer for that not cause of the name FIFA.

 

[Would_you_kindly]

Good

 

[Danja]

They did the smart thing back then as they needed EA as a partner in the early stages of PS1.

 

[Danja]

Sony is always too nice with 3rd-parties and then they get backstabbed. They see them as partners but they run to MS first chance they get.

EA, Square, Sega, Activision, Nintendo, Kojima. All traitors.

Also says a lot about how weak their 3rd party relations arm of Playstation is.

 

[Gamernyc78]

Also says a lot about how weak their 3rd party relations arm of Playstation is.

Thyve showed lots of good faith in third parties and it's not showing anymore! As much in reciprocation.

 

[Danja]

Thyve showed lots of good faith in third parties and it's not showing anymore! As much in reciprocation.

That is definitely true but I feel like their relationship with 3rd parties been slipping ever since Adam Boyes left the company.

They are the market leader, they can a bit more cut throat but current leadership is trash and care more about perception. In-reality 3rd parties would crumble without them. They refuse to leverage this in their favor.

 

[Entropi]

Why in the seven hells would Sony want to piss off EA?

Or any of the big third-party partners to that effect.

 

[ethomaz]

EA don’t need FIFA too.

Early access of the first non-FIFA game already break last FIFA early access…

So why the hell Sony wanted FIFA? Even more in 90 when the best and most popular football games didn’t have FIFA in name.

 

[Yurinka]

PlayStation Had The Chance To Steal FIFA From EA In The '90s, But Passed

"I think EA would have responded quite badly to that"

www.timeextension.com

When we were speaking to Tom Stone, EA's former vice president of European marketing, recently for an article on The Making Of FIFA International Soccer, he told us about a memorable incident that happened in the run-up to renewing the license back in 1997, which could have seen Sony steal the exclusive worldwide rights to FIFA from under EA's nose.

The incident, as Stone recalls, came about as ISL (the company at the time that was responsible for licensing the FIFA branding) had reached out to PlayStation of Europe behind EA's back and offered them the exclusive worldwide rights to FIFA.

Stone tells Time Extension, "Chris Deering [the president of Sony PlayStation Europe at the time] met with me and said, ‘We’ve been offered the rights to FIFA Soccer'. I said, ‘You have got to be effing joking. Seriously? ISL has approached you and asked if you would like an exclusive worldwide license for FIFA? After everything we’ve done for them?’ I was really cross. But Chris said to me, ‘I will not sign that deal unless you can’t come to terms with FIFA. That’s your deal. You created that.' Obviously, Chris was looking 'big picture' at the support that EA gave to PlayStation worldwide. I think that would have been an interesting conversation had Sony signed that deal, though. I think EA would have responded quite badly to that."

PlayStation, at the time, already had its own football series: Psygnosis's Adidas Power Soccer series, which was sponsored by the popular Geman sportswear company. These games weren't as successful as FIFA, though, and could have potentially benefitted from nabbing the stronger license. Sony's PlayStation division, however, didn't feel like undermining one of its biggest third-party publishers was a particularly smart business move, so it wisely extended an offer to EA to let them reach its own agreement, which it eventually did leading to a four-year extension.

Obviously, this story makes for a pretty interesting "what if?", but it is also a reasonably good example of just how fragile the relationship between EA and FIFA could be, with both organizations examining ways of getting out of their partnership. According to Marc Aubanel, a producer who worked on various FIFA games in the '90s and early '2000s, EA considered dropping the FIFA brand decades before it eventually happened, but there was always a concern among the company's marketing team about the difficulty of rebranding in the midst of its success.

"We knew we were doing way more for FIFA than they were doing for us from a branding standpoint," says Aubanel. "So we were in discussions about dropping them decades before EA finally dropped them. The only reason they didn’t was because marketing was petrified about losing that brand awareness. We’d built so much equity in that brand. We were tired of paying for it, but every time we had to renegotiate with FIFA, they just didn’t want to take that risk of having to rebrand it."

Something people only forgets it's that the FIFA license barely only includes to use FIFA in the name and logo of the game.

And what made the FIFA games the football market leaders was to have the licenses of a ton of teams, championships/leagues and their players. Which are separated licenses paid and negotiated separatedly.

Back in the time, Sensible Soccer and International Superstar Soccer/Pro Evolution Soccer were better games, but the FIFA games kept being the best sellers because they had all the licenses of the teams and players.

So for Sony it wouldn't mean a shit to have the FIFA license, which btw is too fucking expensive. Because players aren't dumb and they'd have continue buying the EA game because it's the one with the licenses of the players and teams.

Same applies for today, to get the FIFA license doesn't mean a shit because this is not what makes the game sell.

So why the hell Sony wanted FIFA? Even more in 90 when the best and most popular football games didn’t have FIFA in name.

Back then FIFA was also the best selling football game, as it was pre-PS1.

What the article says is that the Sony Europe boss told the EA guy that the IP holder of FIFA offered Sony to get the FIFA brand with exclusivity, and that Sony rejected it because EA was the one who built the popularity of the game.

And doesn't mention it, but back then EA was the top 1 3rd party publisher, so Sony pretty likely didn't want to ruin their relationship with them.

Also says a lot about how weak their 3rd party relations arm of Playstation is.

It is so weak that they have all important 3rd party supporting them by releasing almost all their console games on PS (the exception are the moneyhatted ones by Nintendo or some small timed console exclusive that MS moneyhats), getting more multiplatform games than Xbox or Switch.

And not only that, PS also releases every year more good 3rd party exclusives than Xbox and Switch combined, both big and small.

 

[Loy310]

Fifa lic fees are a rip off. Glad sony kicked the can down the road.

 

[Zzero]

You're actually won't be getting much with the FIFA IP.

I've tried explaining this on here many, many times but people just don't get it. Just roll your eyes and move on.

 

[historia]

honestly I feel Konami has a gold mine on their hand, just they are not business savvy and adaptive as EA.

 

[Systemshock2023]

The thing is... I don't care if FIFA sells more or about you tubers opening ultimate team cards. Winning eleven was king and the best football game since winning eleven 3 J League 97 until the last retail PC version of PES around 2019.

Last FIFA I properly played was 99 and it was trash compared to Winning Eleven 4.

FIFA games for some reason even at their absolute worst sold more than winning eleven.