If you’re a football enthusiast, there’s no way you haven’t at least once installed the EA FIFA game on your computer. It’s not just any video game but an emotion closely knitted with all of our childhoods, where we spent hundreds of hours playing with our favorite teams and players. However, as time passes, the game seems to be losing its charm.
To make matters worse, the game is not even called FIFA now. For almost three decades, Electronic Arts (EA) and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) had collaborated, shaping the gaming landscape since 1993.
However, in May 2022, EA terminated its longstanding partnership with FIFA, citing a failure to reach a consensus on a new licensing agreement. Allegedly, FIFA demanded more than double the previous $150 million (~£119 million) licensing fee. Consequently, following the release of FIFA 23, the game was rebranded as EA Sports FC.
This change has had a significant impact on the gaming industry, causing upheaval within it. YouTube gamers who had previously gained widespread recognition for streaming FIFA content, from opening pack cards to assembling FUT teams, have been particularly impacted. Their viewership has plummeted to the extent that streams once garnering thousands of views now struggle to even reach anywhere close to it.
The downfall of FIFA Youtubers
To understand the perceived decline of FIFA YouTubers, we must acknowledge the evolution of the gaming landscape. In the world of online gaming content creation, FIFA YouTubers have carved a massive niche for themselves in recent years.
These YouTubers focus on creating content that revolves around gameplay, pack openings, career mode playthroughs, challenges, and more. Their engaging and often humorous commentary, coupled with the addictive nature of the game itself, fueled their rise to immense popularity. At their peak, these FIFA YouTubers amassed millions of subscribers and views, making them some of the biggest gaming personalities online.
But as they say, there are always two sides to a coin. Despite their past successes, these YouTubers now appear to be on a downward trajectory, at least according to the sentiments expressed by social media audiences.
And one of the living proof of this decline is MattHDGamer. If you’re into the game of online streaming, there’s no way you haven’t come across the name of MattHDGamer, who now has around 2.44 million subscribers. He gained popularity through unique and entertaining series such as “Zero to Hero” and “Bronze Beasts,” which used to attract between 1 million to 800k views per video. However, a noticeable shift has occurred. Currently, his video content mainly comprises a handful of gameplay videos, often featuring “live commentary.” In fact, people have also pointed out his clickbait videos. Consequently, this once highly-viewed YouTuber now struggles to sustain viewership, with only around 10k views per video on average, and only one video managing to surpass the 50k mark in the past month.
Another notable example is Gonth, a YouTuber with 1.66 million subscribers. His content generally revolves around FIFA, ranging from card opening videos to videos on interesting team formations on streams. Renowned for his entertaining content, Gonth has also experienced a significant decline in viewership. Previously, his top video amassed over a million views, but his recent uploads struggle to surpass even a thousand views.
Another such prominent YouTube name is AA9Skillz, known for his incredible FIFA FUT videos. However, now that he has been at it for years and has amassed over 2 million subscribers, people have started to tag his content as cringey and accuse him of focusing more on super chats and donations than actually playing the game. As a result, his views have also fallen from the range of 700k per video to now around 30k.
Same goes for MOMOFIFA HD. Initially known for his entertaining TOTS pack openings, the Sidemen-associated YouTuber garnered an average of 700 to 800k views when he first started a couple of years ago. However, he has struggled to sustain his audience engagement in recent times. Despite having a YouTube channel with 1.4 million subscribers, he has a mere 3.07% engagement rate and his average views have dwindled to around 1k per video.
These are merely a few examples. While speaking of this downfall, people have also named the likes of RossiHD, ITANI, La5ty, Jack54HD, AirJapes, GCIIMessi, MGH, Nepenthez, who once considered titans in their respective domains, have also encountered challenges in maintaining their previous levels of sustainability.
But it raises a question: what can be the reason for this sudden downfall? Are these just individualistic reasons, or did the game fall off in recent years?
The reason behind the downfall
When scrutinizing the downfall of FIFA YouTubers, one factor undoubtedly at the helm of it is the decline of the game itself.
The heavy focus on microtransactions and pack openings has indeed diminished the core gameplay experience and shifted the focus of the game towards spending money rather than skillful gameplay. FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) players have voiced their disappointment over the current state of the game, which lacks meaningful upgrades and progression. This has led to a sense of stagnation in the game.
Complaints about gameplay mechanics, such as overpowered goalkeepers, AI-controlled defending, and lackluster attacking strategies, add to the frustration. Repetitive gameplay loops and poor rewards have contributed to a decline in player engagement. Moreover, one thing that definitely doesn’t help the game of FIFA is its bug-laden gameplay. Although it is good for laughs, these glitches surely undermine the overall gameplay experience.
On the flip side, there’s a prevailing sentiment that the decline isn’t solely the fault of the game itself but also lies with the creators. By resorting to consistently clickbait titles and churning out repetitive content within the same genre day after day, people were bound to get bored at one point. Many FIFA YouTubers have also been known to collaborate with coin-selling websites to generate specific content. This reliance on external partnerships has led to a deviation from creating the once engaging and meaningful content that initially captured their audience’s attention.
And you can’t deny that point. Despite FIFA being tagged as “dead” by some, there are still notable YouTubers like Danny Aarons, who averages around 300k views per video. Another rising star to keep an eye on is Chuffsters. This English FIFA gaming YouTuber and Twitch streamer consistently garners around 1 million views per video, despite having 633k subscribers. As rightfully highlighted by a user on x.com, it’s imperative for YouTubers to adapt their content from time to time according to their audience’s preferences. Failing to do so risks irrelevance and eventual downfall.
But is it not all up to the creator or the games; we as viewers are equally to be blamed for. The emergence of alternative streaming platforms like Twitch has shifted preferences among younger audiences towards spaces offering real-time interaction and engagement, and these relatively traditional YouTube videos have failed to capture the new generation.
Moreover, to make matters worse, there is the upsurge of short-form content like TikTok and YouTube Shorts that has further impacted viewing habits. Younger audiences are increasingly consuming content in bite-sized chunks, with a focus on quick entertainment and attention-grabbing visuals, rather than having to sit through a 10-minute long video of FIFA pack opening. As a result, longer videos are struggling to compete for attention.
That said, it wouldn’t be surprising to see these YouTubers now adapt their content in the coming times as a means to revive their channels. Perhaps integrating interactive or comedic elements into their videos or exploring new niches within the FIFA community, with a growing emphasis on live interaction and community engagement. We don’t know what the future holds for these FIFA streams, but it’s undeniably disheartening to witness the gradual decline of a cherished emotion – FIFA.