"Mythical Games Introduces 'FIFA Rivals': Their Belief in Outshining 'NFL Rivals'"

FIFA Rivals' Colossal Ambition

Boom! The hot new blockchain mobile game FIFA Rivals is smashing onto iOS and Android, and it's aiming for a monumental footprint, dwarfing its predecessor, NFL Rivals. Developed by the brainy bunch at Mythical Games, the studio behind NFL Rivals, the global soccer fanbase, mammoth video games, and droves of brands eager to get in on the action are the game's keys to boundless potential.

Adidas, the legendary sportswear titan, is plunging into the fray, sealing a multi-year licensing agreement for FIFA Rivals. Players will encounter Adidas-backed athletes, such as the legendary Lionel Messi, with collectible, tradable gear thrown into the mix.

John Linden, co-founder and CEO of Mythical Games, divulged to Decrypt that the game's release triggered a major surprise. The rush of global interest from brands, athletes, football organizations, and even a small country's government has been overwhelming, he said.

"The love for football is just unreal, like nothing I've ever experienced," Linden declared. "The world's total soccer fanbase, which is an astonishing 5 billion players, is about double the size of the NFL fan base."

FIFA Rivals already boasts a mighty following, having surpassed seven million players since its predecessor, NFL Rivals, debuted two years ago. Linden asserts that FIFA Rivals could eclipse that whopping total by a staggering factor of 20. This calculation stems from contrasting the scale of existing soccer games to those of American football, revealing a colossal 18-fold difference.

The free-to-play mobile nature of FIFA Rivals means it will appeal to legions of casual players, expanding its reach exponentially. For example, the Android version of EA's FIFA Mobile has reeled in over half a billion downloads alone — that's not even counting iOS users. The impressive reach has piqued interest in partnering with FIFA Rivals, according to Linden.

"We're being approached from every corner of the globe," Linden confided to Decrypt. "We've even received messages from nations that are typically overlooked in gaming. I can't name the country, but the ruling organization has reached out, stating they desperately seek collaboration because FIFA Rivals stands to dominate their gaming landscape."

Adidas is merely the beginning of the brand partnerships in store for FIFA Rivals, as Linden revealed there's been interest from entities never previously courted by Mythical Games, such as telecom companies.

With a deal with FIFA that will last through "several World Cups", Mythical Games eagerly awaits the tournament's return in 2026.

Recently, FIFA announced its intention to migrate its NFT collectibles platform FIFA Collect to its own Avalanche L1 blockchain, leaving Algorand behind[1]. FIFA Rivals, meanwhile, is built on Mythos chain, based on the Polkadot network pioneered by Mythical Games.

Linden added that FIFA has even reached out to Mythical Games in an attempt to synergize their Avalanche L1 collaboration.

Lessons of the Field

Through two grueling years of propelling NFL Rivals, Linden said the studio has learned the delicate art of maintaining a "living economy," which enables players to trade in-game players like Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The challenge was preserving the worth of assets for new seasons without decimating the value of older ones.

As NFL Rivals heads into the third season in August, Mythical Games is doubling down on investments, now that the game has safely entered the economic experimentation phase.

"We'll be pumping in more marketing as we gain confidence in proven strategies," Linden shared with Decrypt. "We'll be adding more polish—meatier PvP gameplay, innovative animations, and striking stadium designs."

Learning from the NFL Rivals experience, Mythical Games brings valuable insights to the launch of FIFA Rivals. Given that Europeans, on average, shell out less cash for gaming than their American counterparts[4], the soccer gaming economy predominantly thrives on skill rather than monetary might.

Later in the year, FIFA Rivals is due to unveil an "AI sports agent" to guide players, in addition to a slew of esports competitions, club partnerships, and new game modes.

Edited by Andrew Hayward

FIFA Rivals, the new blockchain mobile game, is aiming for a massive expansion, surpassing even its predecessor, NFL Rivals, in popularity.
Adidas, a renowned sports brand, has signed a multi-year licensing agreement for FIFA Rivals, bringing iconic athletes like Lionel Messi into the game.
John Linden, CEO of Mythical Games, reveals global interest from brands, athletes, football organizations, and even governments has been overwhelming for FIFA Rivals.
The game's potential is vast due to the immense size of the global soccer fanbase, predicted to be an astonishing 5 billion players.
The free-to-play nature of FIFA Rivals will appeal to a vast audience, similar to EA's FIFA Mobile, which has amassed over half a billion downloads.
FIFA Rivals will be built on Mythos chain, a Polkadot network, while FIFA's NFT collectibles platform is moving to Avalanche L1 blockchain.
Mythical Games, having learned from the NFL Rivals experience, aims to focus on skill-based gaming economy in FIFA Rivals, catering more to European players who spend less on gaming.