Highlights
- Take-Two sees console soccer sims as a challenging market to break into.
- Asked about the rumors of 2K Sports picking up the FIFA license, Take-Two CEO said that this license is just the tip of the complicated rights iceberg that a new soccer sim would have to overcome.
As a seasoned gamer who has witnessed the evolution of sports simulators over the years, I can’t help but feel a twinge of excitement at the prospect of 2K Sports entering the console soccer market. However, Take-Two’s CEO Strauss Zelnick’s recent remarks have made me pause and reflect on the sheer complexity of such an undertaking.
It’s not straightforward for 2K Sports to create a console-quality soccer simulation, even if they acquire the FIFA license, according to a senior representative from Take-Two. This comment was made in response to the ongoing speculation about 2K considering acquiring the FIFA license.
After thirty years of working together, EA Sports and FIFA parted ways at the end of 2022. Reports suggest that FIFA asked for $250 million annually to renew EA’s video game license. Consequently, FIFA 23, launched in September 2022, became the last soccer simulation from the U.S. developer before they rebranded their successful franchise as EA Sports FC. Since then, whispers about Take-Two’s 2K Sports expressing interest in acquiring the license have been buzzing within the gaming industry.
FIFA License Is Just the Tip of the Soccer Rights Iceberg, Take-Two Says
During their recent earnings discussion, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick stated that creating a console-quality soccer simulation is a complex endeavor. He clarified that securing the FIFA license is only a small aspect of the puzzle, as it doesn’t cover player, team, and non-World Cup competition image rights. To deliver a game with an ample amount of licensed content, Take-Two would need to negotiate with numerous rights holders, as pointed out by Zelnick in Seeking Alpha’s transcript of the August 8 earnings call.
In essence, creating a console soccer simulation game is a challenging and time-consuming task, as stated by the executive. However, he didn’t dismiss the idea of developing a competitor to EA Sports FC. He emphasized that producing high-quality AAA soccer simulations could attract a dedicated and deeply involved player base, which could be quite beneficial.
Even Without FIFA, Take-Two Is Already in the Soccer Game Business
In addition, the executive pointed out that Take-Two Interactive Software has a foothold in the soccer video game industry due to owning the globally recognized “number one mobile soccer manager title,” Top Eleven. This popular game is created by Nordeus Studio, which was purchased by Take-Two for up to $378 million as part of a deal finalized in June 2021. As per its Google Play Store details, Top Eleven has garnered more than 100 million downloads on Android devices alone.
Although Zelnick did not directly answer a question about whether 2K is seeking the FIFA license, he indirectly addressed it by discussing Take-Two’s expanding sports franchise collection, which includes titles like NBA, NFL, WWE, tennis, and golf. He hinted that the company plans to grow this aspect of their business further in time. Meanwhile, the soccer governing body has stated that a new FIFA game will be released without EA at some point.
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2024-08-09 22:24