For three decades, FIFA partnered solely with EA Sports to create one of the best-known and most successful video game franchises in history.Between 1993 and 2022, FIFA sold more than 325 million copies, making it the best-selling sports video game franchise in history. But FIFA 23 was the last edition of the partnership, with FIFA and EA Sports parting ways. In the meantime, FIFA has worked with multiple developers and publishers to reach new audiences across different age groups and in new locations.On June 11, FIFA is releasing FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition on Netflix, a handheld simulation game that will be free to play for subscribers to the streaming service.Here, The Athletic provides everything you need to know about the new title and their plans for the future.What has FIFA been up to in the past three years?In short, transforming its approach to video games.While EA Sports has continued to succeed with its rebranded ‘EA FC’ titles, FIFA has pivoted away from the simulation world toward a multi-partnership model, aiming to attract new and diverse audiences. Since 2022, FIFA has partnered with Roblox, an online gaming platform with 151 million daily active users, and released FIFA Super Soccer last December, which reaches more than 10 million monthly active users. It followed a successful launch event for the Club World Cup last year, which, according to FIFA, led to “the biggest-ever official football event on Roblox, with 20 million gameplay sessions and 5.5 million hours of engagement”.A source with knowledge of FIFA’s video game strategy, who, like others in this article, prefers to remain anonymous to protect relationships, claims partnerships with incredibly popular properties like Roblox allow FIFA to reach the next generation of fans. FIFA studies have found the “sweet spot” for sports fandom formation is between eight and 12 years old, and to keep kids following football, FIFA is prioritising meeting them where they play and on the platforms they use most often. Alongside following football live and parental influence, gaming is one of the top reasons children become football fans.FIFA’s last PlayStation game was released four years ago (Jasper Jacobs/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)It’s just one of several tie-ups they have announced since parting with EA Sports in 2023, including Epic Games, Konami, SEGA/Sports Interactive, Gamefam, Mythical Games, and Solace Games.Through its partnership with Konami — the Japanese game developer that publishes the eFootball franchise, formerly known as Pro Evolution Soccer — FIFA has remained in the esports world, an area the company is placing significant emphasis on, reflecting on the growth of esports in recent years.In 2024, esports were included in the FIFA Statutes, the documents that outline FIFA’s laws and organisational objectives, signalling an intent to promote competitive video gaming on a similar footing to the sport itself. It has since launched the eWorld Cup on eFootball and Rocket League, a car-based soccer video game by American developer Psyonix.