After EA refused to pay the staggering $1 billion (USD) to FIFA for the use of their branding, FIFA decided to take their ball and run home. The organization said that they planned to continue offering their license to other developers for future soccer game releases and that is precisely what seems to be happening.
The catch here, and wow is it ever an amusing one, is that the first titles coming from FIFA will utilize the blockchain and incorporate Web 3.0 crap. FIFA's announcement says that they are working on at least four games that will utilize blockchain technology in some fashion.
The first is Altered State Machine - AI League: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Edition, which will be a 4v4 game for more casual gameplay. The action is carried out by AI-controlled characters while players will act as coaches and offer strategies to the players. Players will be able to collect and trade characters around.
Uplandme - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in the Upland Metaverse will include virtual properties and allow players to travel to places like the FIFA World Cup Lusail Stadium and Village. You can also shop for items that can be used to customize your home. This one almost sounds like PlayStation Home but super limited and somehow a lot worse.
Next is Matchday - Matchday Challenge: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Edition, a game that utilizes cards. It's a "social prediction" game where the cards will include the names, likenesses, and images of professional players. The description for this one was incredibly vague.
Finally there is Phygtl - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 on Phygtl, an app that generates digital rewards. I'm going to let FIFA directly explain this one, because to me, it just sounds like some sort of augmented reality app that will let you buy NFTs to put on an equally fake golden soccer ball.
Phygtl, a fan engagement mobile application that takes fandom into a new dimension. An immersive experience fans join forces on with the mission to co-create the global first fan generate digital reward. Fans can augment a golden-globe-football from the palm of their hands into their real-life environment, own a limited fragment of it to attach and eternalize their handpicked FIFA World Cup pictures and video moments. A digital representation of eternal fandom.
FIFA is apparently still planning on releasing new soccer and other non-sim games starting late next year.
