EA feels it’s being held back by FIFA brand

FIFA is a videogame brand more than a governing body according to EA

EA CEO Andrew Wilson seems to be preparing for a split with FIFA, saying EA has built the brand way beyond what the association could have on its own.

“We’ve created billions in value… it’s just huge. We’ve created one of the biggest entertainment properties on the planet,” Wilson said about the FIFA series and EA Sports' 30-year licensing relationship.

FIFA name: “The FIFA brand has more meaning as a video game than it does a governing body of soccer. We don’t take that for granted and we try not to be arrogant,” he continued. What has prompted this grandstanding? Money: FIFA wants more royalties.

Blind buyers: “Basically, what we get from FIFA in a non-World Cup year is the four letters on the front of the box, in a world where most people don’t even see the box anymore because they buy the game digitally.”

It’s 1 vs. 300: Access to the World Cup is “important but it’s not the most important,” and EA Sports have negotiated 300 individual licenses that “give us the content that our players engage with the most and the most deeply.”

What esteemed actor played M. Bison in the film adaptation of Street Fighter?

a) Raul Julia
b) Peter Marquardt
c) Christopher Walken
d) William Dafoe

The answer will be revealed at the bottom of today's issue. Join up with our community on Twitter and Facebook to discuss what the answer could be.

Pokémon Presents scheduled February 27

Pokémon Presents will air on Pokémon Day this Sunday, February 27th and present 14 minutes of the latest and greatest Pokémon news.

Pokémon Unite is spotlighting Ranged Supporter Pokémon Hoopa, who comes in two forms: Hoopa Confined and Hoopa Unbound. The showcase details the move set, play style, and more.

Pokémon week: Unite will also begin a two week Pokémon Day celebration starting on February 27th with “special log-in bonuses” before the new full-fury battles are rolled out.

What’s ahead: Niantic has published the Pokémon Go roadmap for early 2022, including details on more global events, Go Tour, Go Battle League improvements, and updates for Postcards, Seasons, and Community Days.

Knockout City going free-to-play in June

Dodgeball brawler Knockout City is going free-to-play at the beginning of Season 6, which also marks the beginning of Year 2 of its content schedule.

Customers who bought the game will be compensated with Loyalty Bundles when Knockout City goes free-to-play on June 1st. The bundle will include cosmetics, XP boosts, and 2,000 Holobux.

Going indie: Developer Velan Studios is also taking over as publisher, thanking EA for its “incredible support” in bringing Knockout City to market.

Full control: "We have exciting plans for Knockout City, and bringing publishing in-house will allow us to fully realize our vision for the long-term future of this game,” Velan Studios announced.

Best choices for purchasing Elden Ring

Elden Ring is finally here, but where can you get the best deal on FromSoftware's latest RPG masterpiece?

Physical & digital

• Amazon.co.uk
  • PC (£40.95) / PS4 (£44.95) / PS5 (£44.95)
  • XBO (£44.95) / XBX (£49.99)
• Best Buy (US)
  • PC ($59.99) / PS4 ($59.99) / PS5 ($59.99)
  • XBO ($59.99) / XBX ($59.99)
• Amazon.com
  • PS5 ($59.99) / XBO ($59.99) / XBX ($59.99)
• GameStop (US)
  • PS4 ($59.99) / PS5 ($59.99) / XBX ($59.99)

Digital PC codes

• Humble Bundle (£49.99)
• IndieGala (£41.99)
• Fanatical (£41.99)

Jurassic Park VR dev working on PS VR2

Coatsink is busy with its new virtual reality project, a launch title for PlayStation VR2. The studio previously developed Jurassic Park Aftermath, a stealth survival game for Oculus.

Prepare for sword swinging in VR

Look behind the scenes of Swordsman VR – Advanced Combat and see how the developer's record animations using motion capture at Fast Motion Studios in Canada.

Enjoy Cyberpunk 2077 in VR

You can't always wait for the big studios to finally get around to supporting VR, but fortunately, modders like LukeRoss pick up the slack. Cyberpunk 2077 R.E.A.L. VR introduces full VR support for Cyberpunk 2077, with full support for combat, movement on foot and in vehicles as well as map and UI navigation.

• Steam Deck Compatibility shows how much of your Steam library is ready for Steam Deck in an elegant list divided by the level of compatibility
• New Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent trailer announcing the closed beta on Android
• BioWare reveals more about the next Dragon Age, which is in the middle of production meaning we can expect more details reasonably soon
• Elden Ring version 1.02 patch notes list improved controls, soundtrack tweaks, some balance adjustments, and more
• The Ascent announced for PlayStation releasing on both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on March 24th

What esteemed actor played M. Bison in the film adaptation of Street Fighter?

ANSWER: Raul Julia!

The Street Fighter movie, like the Super Mario Bros. movie, didn't do videogames a lot of good – although there is something to be said for the reckless abandon of both adaptations, and especially the casting. Raul Julia has a lot of fun with the evil dictator M. Bison, delivering his overwrought lines with what can only be described as a goofy menace.

This was Raul Julia's final role, and he took the job because his kids were big Street Fighter II fans. He died of a stroke just two months before the movie came out, and it is dedicated to his memory. M. Bison was perhaps not his defining performance, but at least it guarantees he will never be forgotten.

Today's issue of DailyBits was written by Gavin Herman, Erlend Grefsrud, Simon Priest, and Jamie Davey. If you have any feedback or news tips for the team, please email us!