History
The key points of EA's early advertising programs were the isometric view of the pitch, an innovation seen previously in 1983's International Soccer but at a time when most other games preferred either top down, side scrolling or bird's eye views, as well as detailed graphics and animations, and of course the FIFA endorsement. It was shipped for Christmas 1993, named FIFA International Soccer, and was released for most of the popular console and computer platforms of the time.
While FIFA 95 did not add much other than the ability to play with club teams, FIFA 96 pushed the boundaries. For the first time with real player names by obtaining the FIFPro license, the PlayStation, PC, 32X and Sega Saturn versions used EA's "Virtual Stadium" engine, with 2D sprite players moving around a real-time 3D stadium. FIFA 97 improved on this with polygonal models for players and added an indoor soccer mode, but an early pinnacle was reached with FIFA: Road to World Cup 98. This version featured much improved graphics, a complete World Cup with qualifying rounds (including all national teams) and refined gameplay. Months later, World Cup 98, EA's first officially-licensed tournament game.
FIFA games have been met with some criticism, such as for the tiny improvements each game features over its predecessor. As the console market is expanding, FIFA is being challenged directly by other titles such as Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer series. Both FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer have a large following but FIFA sales is rising as much as 23 percent year-over-year, making FIFA the most profitable EA Sports title, thanks to its global audience and lower license costs compared to Madden NFL series.
In 2012, EA Sports signed Lionel Messi to the best-selling FIFA franchise, luring him away from the competitor Pro Evolution Soccer. Messi was then immediately placed on the cover of FIFA Street.
Read more about this topic: FIFA (video game series)
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