Sure, here it goes.
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You know, back in 1993, something kinda wild happened. EA and FIFA teamed up—like, a power duo for the ages—and came out with this game: FIFA International Soccer. For the Sega Genesis. Yep, the Genesis. The game just took off, selling over half a million copies in, get this, four weeks. I mean, everyone loves a good success story, right? But I’m not sure even EA saw it blowing up this big. Maybe they did. Or maybe they were just winging it. Happens a lot, honestly.
And this was just the start. FIFA International Soccer kind of morphed into this massive franchise that ended up outshining every other soccer video game. Seriously, it became EA’s crown jewel, selling like, 325 million copies worldwide by 2021. That’s just… bonkers. But, the plot twist? EA and FIFA called it quits in 2022. Just done. No more FIFA branding in their new games. They still make soccer games, just under a different name now. But, the good ol’ FIFA brand? Might still see it elsewhere. Enter, Sloclap’s Rematch. Betcha didn’t see that coming.
Now, about Rematch—this might sound odd given how many video games are out there, but non-EA soccer games? Slim pickings these days. We’ve got Konami’s PES, now called eFootball, but it’s had a bit of a rough patch with fans. But then there’s Rematch. One of the surprising hits didn’t see coming from French devs Sloclap, famous for Absolver and Sifu. Rematch is this colorful, third-person, 5v5 sports bonanza. Launched a few weeks back and already hit the big time, over a million copies in days. Wild, huh?
Oh, quick side note! Rematch is on Xbox Game Pass, so not everyone paid to play. Okay, onward.
So, here’s a wacky idea: what if Sloclap teamed up with FIFA for Rematch? No, not rebranding or anything—just add some FIFA-branded goodies. They’ve already been cozying up to other stuff, like Puma gear and even a skin for a player like Marc-André ter Stegen. Bet a FIFA logo might be a hit, even if folks gotta pay. The FIFA name is iconic, especially in Europe. Honestly, a collaboration could seriously boost Rematch’s popularity. The real FIFA games might be on hold, but hey, a Rematch collab could be the next big thing.
Anyway… what was I saying? Oh yeah, just imagining the noise of a game controller clicking away. It feels real somehow.
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