When video games such as Madden and NBA established themselves as clear popular favorites in the sales charts for the United States, the EA Sports Brand decided to take it out on the street. With the introduction of NFL and NBA Street, these games not only revolutionized the culture of the video game industry, but it transformed the sports industry. The games on the street aimed to make kids from urban areas be able to relate to the environment. With relatively much success, the games continued to gain popular reviews and had multiple sequels associated with it. When the FIFA game franchise picked up, especially in the United States, FIFA also decided to take its game out on the street. At first, the game became popular in countries with nationally established soccer clubs such as England [1]. However, even in the present day, I don’t see very many people playing FIFA Street as opposed to the normal FIFA game. I have always pondered why, because FIFA Street offers some interesting features such as the ability to play on rooftops.
Rooftop Feature on FIFA STREET (http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/122/1220732/fifa-street-20120315071610528.jpg)
One possible explanation for the lack in popularity of FIFA Street in the United States is truly a cultural statement. To be completely frank, I believe FIFA Street did not gain the national recognition it may have deserved in the United States because of the fact that the United States is not an established powerhouse on the national football scene. Unlike the NBA and NFL, which have established programs in the entertainment business, American soccer does not have established youth programs,etc (like its European counterpart) within the entertainment space, and thus could be a factor as to why FIFA street never came to be what it aimed for. I would like to open this discussion to the rest of the soccer politics blog and raise the question: what do you think FIFA street can improve on both marketing wise and in-game features that can help soccer gain its popularity within the United States
1: http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/16/fifa-street-fights-back-to-top-of-uk-charts/
My first thought on the topic is that FIFA Street is not meant to be a competitor to the original FIFA. NFL and NBA Street are just additional games aimed at appealing to a less regulated style of play to freshen things up in my opinion. I think one reason why FIFA Street might not be as popular in the United States is that Americans might not relate as well to the street aspect of soccer. Pickup basketball and pickup football, whether on the school playground or local rec park, are staples to an American childhood, just as soccer in the streets might in Europe, South America and Africa. This is pure speculation, but from an initial standpoint and personal view, this ability to relate to the game might contribute to the lack of success in the United States in my opinion.
I would argue that the Fifa Street game is not unique from its counterparts in lack of success or continuity of the game. It was not a game that was designed to be remade into a new version every year as we see with Madden and Fifa. NFL Street and NBA Street games also did not make it passed having two or three iterations each, no different than Fifa street. I believe the success of the Fifa video game, however, has come from its simplicity in gameplay. You never have to have played soccer before to be able to play the game. The rules are relatively simple when comparing it to Madden, NBA or NHL games, and really a player only needs to know a few different buttons to enjoy the game. Although the ‘Street’ games offer some out of world unrealistic gameplay that might be desirable, they are more complicated than the proven simple game of Fifa that millions have easily played for years.
It is curious that EA’s FIFA is arguably the most popular sports video game amongst teens and young adults, when soccer is far less popular and developed than other sports in this country.
I think that the immense popularity that the EA Sports FIFA has garnered in the US has cast a shadow on any other soccer game. Games such as Pro Evolution Soccer, FIFA World Cup Soccer, and FIFA Street simply cannot compete with the established foothold that FIFA cemented in the videogame landscape. I have tried FIFA Street a few times, and similar to Brian, I found myself unable to keep interest due to the lack of friends playing it.
It is interesting to note though how well NBA Street and NFL Street have fared. In regards to NBA Street, both the NBA 2K series and NBA Street are able to coexist. The same goes for Madden and NFL Street. I think you pose a very good point that it may be due to the real popularity of NFL and NBA. As these games are catered to a sub 25-year old crowd, it is important for these games to be able to relate with their audience. When ESPN and other sports outlets only cover the already established sports, its hard to gather enough interest in soccer to have both FIFA and FIFA Street serve as the soccer options.
FIFA Street is an amazingly fun game to play! I remember when the first one came out a few years ago, I played it much more than FIFA. However, due to the fact that almost all my friends exclusively played FIFA and not FIFA Street, I ended up switching over and never playing it again. Now, when I try to play FIFA Street, it’s so far different that I end up giving up and just going back to FIFA. I suggest that everyone who hasn’t played it at least try it once, since it’s an extremely fun game and different than traditional soccer.
With that in mind, to improve its marketing in the US, it has to advertise itself as a game different from FIFA. If it tries to compete, it will lose. Instead, it has to show that a different, more fun and creative, kind of soccer can be played, and perhaps appeal to younger teenagers whom I personally think would be more interested in the game.