FIFA Rivals has been downloaded a million times. Developer Mythical Games is celebrating this with some statistics, but they reveal one thing above all else: in the long term, hardly any users will play the long-awaited FIFA game.
FIFA, in the person of Gianni Infantino, had announced several times that it would re-enter the soccer game market after parting ways with EA SPORTS. The Swiss wanted to deliver nothing less than “the best game available for players and soccer fans.” Words that he does not seem to have lived up to.
At least that’s what some statistics published by developer Mythical Games on the occasion of a special anniversary suggest. According to this data, the mobile title has been downloaded one million times since its release in mid-June.
However, the number of games played is far less encouraging from the perspective of Mythical Games and FIFA. The developer recorded just five million matches by the end of July. That’s an average of just five games per user. FIFA Rivals is only able to captivate a very small number of players.
FIFA shoots itself in the foot
If you take a look at the mobile game, it’s hardly surprising that most people are just trying it out. The latest FIFA product has little in common with titles familiar to the target audience, such as FIFA Mobile. A comparison with the console competition for the upcoming FC 26 from former partner EA SPORTS is out of the question anyway.
The announcement of a mobile title alone was enough to dampen enthusiasm, as rumors of a collaboration between FIFA and 2K Gaming had been circulating for a long time. This turned out to be a hoax, as research by eSport revealed – and Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick later confirmed.
Despite false leaks, FIFA is largely responsible for the lukewarm enthusiasm for its gaming comeback. The curse of Infantino’s big words.
