What do you think? If Cristiano Ronaldo leaves the club – will EA respond or will they leave “everything as it is”?
Interesting: FIFA 18 Demo – Release date: Info for PS4, Xbox One, PC
Cristiano Ronaldo is the cover star of FIFA 18. Many fans are currently wondering: What happens if CR7 changes clubs? How will EA respond?
“When Cristiano Ronaldo is in your team, it starts off 1:0 from the beginning,” said Zinedine Zidane about the Portuguese mega-star.
This is likely what EA Sports was thinking in this year’s battle for the crown of virtual football when they managed to hire Cristiano Ronaldo as the face of FIFA 18. However, CR7 could now pose greater problems for the publisher.
For the past few days, rumors have been swirling in the football world: Cristiano Ronaldo is said to have intentions to change clubs. Several top European clubs have been mentioned as potential new teams – from Bayern Munich to PSG and Manchester.
Our reader BigFlash88 recently posted a question in the comments that likely interests many FIFA fans: “What will happen if Ronaldo really changes clubs – will he still appear on the cover of FIFA 18 in the Real jersey?”
Cristiano Ronaldo is more than just the cover star of FIFA 18
The potential problems are not limited to the cover: A change from CR7 would also pose challenges for the story mode and the marketing of FIFA 18. This year, EA is fully relying on the multiple world footballer:
- Cristiano Ronaldo is the cover star of FIFA 18. He wears the white jersey of Real Madrid.
- There is a special Ronaldo edition for FIFA 18, which prominently features the Real jersey.
- In the previous trailers, Cristiano Ronaldo was front and center as a Real player. In other words, the entire advertising machinery is built around a Ronaldo who plays for Real Madrid.
- Parts of the gameplay were created based on CR7: His sprinting, running frequency, skills, and shooting technique were recorded using “Real Player Motion Technology” to provide more realism and new player personalities.
- Additionally, Cristiano Ronaldo is featured along with other football stars in the story mode “The Journey: Hunter Returns”. In this, he is supposed to meet Alex Hunter early on and suggest that he switch to Real Madrid.
A transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo – how would it affect FIFA 18?
The FIFA series aims to bring real-world football action to the virtual field as accurately as possible. When a player changes clubs in reality, it also affects that player in the current FIFA edition.
If the cover star changes clubs before a release, EA Sports will need to respond. A player wearing the “wrong” jersey does not look good on an important cover.
Will the cover be redesigned? Will the story mode be rewritten? Could the release possibly be postponed? Some fans are already imagining the most adventurous scenarios.
If CR7 does indeed change clubs, it would certainly be “unpleasant” for the story mode – however, it does seem unrealistic that it would be rewritten or changed for that reason. After all, this mode only tells the story of Alex Hunter and aims lower than the other modes that aim to reflect reality.
Regarding the cover, an important question arises: What about the licenses? Presumably, there was not only a marketing deal with Ronaldo but also with Real Madrid that allowed the Real jersey to be displayed everywhere. If CR7 now changes clubs, previous contracts would likely have to be terminated, and new contracts would need to be negotiated with the new club. This is a problem that could cost EA time and money.
However, at this point a note: The possible consequences can only be speculated about at present. We have no insight into EA’s contracts. The colleagues at GameStar inquired with Electronic Arts, but they did not want to comment on the rumors regarding Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer and possible consequences for FIFA 18.
Will there even be a transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo?
The rumor that Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Real Madrid has persisted stubbornly in the media. Every day, there are new reports about where he might go.
CR7 is accused of tax evasion and, as he misses the support from Real Madrid, it is said that he has fallen out with the club. Nevertheless, he has a valid contract until 2021, which includes a buyout clause of one billion euros according to Kicker – an amount that no club in the world would be able to pay.
However, some media are currently reporting that he could change clubs for a transfer fee of 200 million euros. This amount could be raised by some top clubs.
Ultimately, it remains: By September 1st at the latest, there will be certainty about Cristiano Ronaldo’s future. Because then the transfer window of La Liga will close. How a possible transfer would affect EA’s FIFA 18 remains to be seen.
What do you think? If Cristiano Ronaldo leaves the club – will EA respond or will they leave “everything as it is”?
Interesting: FIFA 18 Demo – Release date: Info for PS4, Xbox One, PC
