EA Is Removing Russian Teams From FIFA And NHL Games
Electronic Arts has announced that it will be removing all Russian teams from its ongoing FIFA and NHL matches in response to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Following the events of the past few days, with Russia declaring war and invading Ukraine, EA has announced that it will be removing Russian and Belarusian national and club teams from FIFA 22 and NHL 22 in the coming weeks. Following the removal of Russian teams from FIFA 22, Russian NHL teams have also announced, which removes teams from FIFA.
The removal followed the decision of FIFA and UEFA to remove the Russian national football team from participation in the competition. The removal comes after FIFA Online excluded Russia from qualifying for the 2022 World Cup and UEFA suspended club teams from international competition. On Wednesday, EA Sports announced that the Russian national team and all Russian clubs will be removed from their FIFA products, including FIFA 22, FIFA on mobile and FIFA online.
In a simultaneous tweet from both gaming accounts, EA Sports revealed that EA will be removing national and club teams from FIFA 22. The email appears to indicate that the Russian national and club teams will be excluded from EA FIFA matches and the NHL following the invasion. Ukraine. Shortly thereafter, EA Sports NHL released a similar statement reflecting FIFA's message, but adding that the Belarusian team would also be removed.
According to Dexerto, EA's plans to remove Russia from all FIFA games were initially leaked in a corporate email. In an effort to show solidarity with the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, EA will remove Russia from its FIFA and NHL games, the publisher's two flagship series. Both UEFA and FIFA suspended all Russian teams from international football earlier this week (via The Guardian), and now EA Sports is following suit in the realm of virtual sports.
EA Sports has become the latest company to boycott everything related to Russia, announcing that Russian teams will be removed from NHL and FIFA video games. The Russian national team and the national league have been removed from EA Sports' FIFA video game series. On Monday, both the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which oversees European football competitions, and the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA), the sport's international governing body, banned Russian football teams from all competitions. The National Hockey League has also excluded Russia from consideration as a venue for any future NHL competition.
In two announcements on Tuesday, video game publisher Electronic Arts Electronic Arts announced the removal of the Russian national and club soccer teams from its FIFA 2022 lineup, and the Russian and Belarusian national and ice hockey club teams from its video games. out. The governing body overseeing the two sports has suspended the Russian team from international competitions. The moves echo the real sports sanctions imposed on Russia, which has been excluded from the 2022 World Cup and its teams banned from all FIFA and UEFA international football competitions. The advisers' actions come after banning real Russian sports teams from international competitions, boycotting products from U.S. companies Apple, Nike and others, and removing Russian news and entertainment content from social media platforms. The Ukrainian government has also called on video game companies and esports operators to block Russian players and esports teams.
According to Euro Gamer, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Mikhail Fedorov calls on game development companies and eSports platforms to impose sanctions against Russian and Belarusian teams. Mikhail Fedorov also pleaded with game companies to prevent Russian and Belarusian teams from participating in esports competitions and to cancel any international events in both countries. In a statement attached to Twitter, he demanded that gaming and esports companies temporarily block all Russian and Belarusian accounts and suspend any participation of teams from these countries in international esports events. He also asked developers and publishers with offices in Russia, such as Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Riot Games, Gameloft and Wargaming, to shut them down.
Ukraine today asked the developers to go further and generally temporarily stop supporting the game in Russia. Shares of Electronic Arts Inc appeared when Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Mikhail Fedorov turned to Microsoft Corp and Sony Group Corp on Twitter, urging them to leave the Russian market.
The removals will include NHL 22, FIFA 22, FIFA Online and FIFA Mobile; it's unclear when the two Russian teams will be eliminated, but EA says it has "launched trials" for them. As for the last part, EA, FIFA and NHL studios took the lead in suspending Russian teams from those two specific games.
Obviously, this decision will not affect the presence of Russian players in both sports. EA Sports will not take any action against individual Russian players belonging to non-Russian teams such as Washington Capitals Alexander Ovechkin. EA Sports does not own all licensing rights to the Russian Premier League, the top football league in the country.
Following the examples of real sports organizations FIFA, UEFA and IIHF regarding the suspension of national teams and clubs in Russia and Belarus, EA will also be suspending these teams from their games in the coming days and weeks. Below is a summary of the teams that will be removed from FIFA 22 based on EA Sports' decision, along with their FIFA 22 ratings. The International Ice Hockey Federation has announced an indefinite ban on Belarus and the country from various football competitions. , and the relocation of the 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships from the original host city of Novosibirsk, Russia. Although not confirmed, EA also appears to be considering excluding the Russian circuit from future F1 races.