Konami‘s eFootball series is experiencing a surge in popularity, evidenced by strong viewership numbers and player participation in its esports events, as the video game landscape shifts following EA Sports’ discontinuation of its long-running FIFA franchise.
EA Sports ceased production of the FIFA game, a franchise that had amassed an estimated $20 billion in sales over two decades, in mid-2023. this move prompted FIFA to announce its intention to release its own video games. However,the organization has yet to launch a direct competitor to EA Sports’ new FC series.
Meanwhile, Konami has been actively expanding its esports presence. The company recently hosted the eFootball Championship 2024 Club Event with its European club partners and collaborated with the Japan Professional football League for the eJLeague eFootball tournament.
Reports indicate that the 2024 Konami-supported version of the FIFAe World Cup saw approximately 14 million players participate in the initial global qualifying stage. The final of the console tournament drew a peak audience of over 400,000 viewers, signaling eFootball’s growing appeal and capacity to attract significant audiences.
In a separate advancement,FIFAe entered into a partnership with the car soccer video game Rocket League in June of the previous year.
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