Netflix Gains Exclusive Rights to the First Post-EA FIFA Soccer Sim

The End of FIFA's Era with EA

Following the conclusion of its collaboration with EA after the release of 'FIFA 23', FIFA is launching its first stand-alone soccer simulation game exclusively through Netflix. This reinvented soccer sim is the work of Delphi Interactive and is slated for release to Netflix subscribers just ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

From Longstanding Partners to New Ventures

Across nearly three decades, EA and FIFA built a prolific partnership centered around crafting soccer video games. Their professional paths diverged in 2022. While EA continued with its series under the new title EA FC, efforts to develop a fresh FIFA soccer simulation for 2024 through discussions with top-tier gaming and media firms have yet to bear fruit. Meanwhile, FIFA has pivoted its focus more toward arcade-style soccer games, with titles like 'FIFA Rivals' and 'FIFA Heroes' taking the lead.

A New Direction in Soccer Simulation

Delphi Interactive's upcoming title, although positioned as a 'simulation game', seems to aim outside of the traditional gaming market catered to by EA's soccer offerings. As expressed by Delphi Interactive's CEO, Caspar Daugaard, the goal is to create an accessible experience where players everywhere can quickly engage with and feel the excitement of soccer. Furthermore, this game is being crafted with smartphone compatibility in mind as a controller, potentially resulting in simpler gameplay.

Netflix's New Approach to Gaming

This title marks Delphi Interactive's sophomore endeavor following their involvement in IO Interactive's '007 First Light.' Aligning with Netflix's latest strategy in interactive entertainment for 2025, the company has largely shifted its attention from ambitious gaming ventures to more social, easily played games and adaptations, leveraging smartphone technology as a central gameplay element.