FIFA video games are a popular series of sports titles that have been around since the early 1990s and continue to be one of the top-selling video game franchises today. The series has attracted millions of gamers due to its realistic depictions of teams, stadiums and players as well as its competitive online play and variety of game modes. In this article, let’s take a look at how and why FIFA is still so popular amongst both casual and hardcore gamers alike.
Why are FIFA games so popular with many gamers
There are many reasons why certain video game titles stay popular with gamers over the years. Even in the esports industry, games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was released in 2012 yet has gone on to become one of the biggest esports games in the world, along with Dota 2, League of Legends, and many more. So why is FIFA still such a much loved video game to play?
1. Authenticity: FIFA video games are incredibly realistic, with accurate depictions of real-world teams, stadiums and players that help to make the game feel more immersive and authentic.
2. Popularity: Currently, the number of video gamers worldwide is at around 3.03 billion. So it is no surprise that FIFA is one of the most popular sports video games on the market today that these gamers want to play. This large player base helps to ensure a steady stream of updates and content for players to enjoy. According to an article on Eurogamer, the most recent game, FIFA 23, was hugely popular during its launch and even broke records as it had over 10.3 million players in its first week.
4. Game modes: The multitude of different game modes available in FIFA allow players to have unique experiences every time they play. From managing your own team in Career Mode, building custom squads in Ultimate Team or playing quick exhibition matches — there’s something for everyone!
3. Competitive play: Along with its offline modes, FIFA also offers an online mode which allows gamers from all around the world to compete against each other in tournaments or friendly matches for bragging rights or prizes.
5. Accessibility & platform availability: One reason why many people prefer playing FIFA compared to other sports titles is because it can be found on virtually any platform — whether you’re playing on PC, Xbox, or PlayStation, there’s a version made specifically for you.
Football is an entertaining topic for many streamers to share online
FIFA has become a popular topic for YouTubers over the years, with many of them creating content related to the FIFA video game franchise. One of the most popular YouTubers who started out with FIFA game commentary videos, is KSI – real name Olajide Olayinka Williams ‘JJ’ Olatunji — who has amassed over 24 million subscribers thanks to his entertaining and informative videos on the game along with his other YouTube content.
AnEsonGib (Ali Loui Al-Fakhri) is another YouTuber known for his FIFA videos as well as other games, and has dedicated playlists on his channel for his videos on the games FIFA 15 to FIFA 19. While both AnEsonGib and KSI are known by many for their FIFA video content, they are also just two of many top YouTubers in the boxing industry too. Both have dabbled in the boxing scene and have impressive fight records.
Other popular YouTubers that centre around football include Spencer FC, who has over 1.96M subscribers and has shared videos on his channel relating to real-life football game reviews, building his fantasy football team, and his personal World Cup predictions. Additionally, there’s also Castro1021 who regularly shares his videos on FIFA 23 to his 2.08M YouTube subscribers. With many of Castro1021’s FIFA videos getting between 50k – 147k views, it’s clear to see that many YouTube users value FIFA and football gaming videos online.
Most popular FIFA games ever released
The FIFA video game franchise also holds a Guinness World Record for being the ‘Most Successful Sports Video Game Series’. The football franchise has had over 325 million sales worldwide since its first release in 1993, and is the highest-grossing sports video game franchise of all time. Over the years, there have been many versions of the game released with each iteration introducing new features and updates that keep players coming back for more. By releasing game after game with new updates and features, the FIFA video game franchise continues to be much-loved by many fans.
While the release of FIFA 23 in early 2022 marked the end of an era for EA Sports’ 30-year partnership with FIFA, the sports gaming franchise has left a mark on many fans over the years. Some of the most popular entries in this series include:
FIFA 14: This version was notable for its introduction of improved graphics and gameplay as well as new modes such as Ultimate Team which allowed gamers to build their own custom squads from a selection of real-world players.
FIFA 16: This edition included female teams for the first time ever, allowing gamers to play with their favourite international women’s soccer stars. It also introduced several changes to gameplay such as improved dribbling mechanics and set pieces designed to keep matches feeling fresh even after extended periods of playtime.
