Objective! FIFA 23 has 10.3 million players in the first week

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EA Sports is holding its best goal celebrations to mark the record-breaking launch of FIFA 23. The football - or football - simulator drew 10.3 million players in its first week, the highest ever in franchise history.

These new players have translated into a massive growth in playtime. In the first 23 days, FIFA 23 has accumulated 15.7 billion minutes, or just under 262 million total hours of play . This represents an average of approximately 11.4 million hours played per day. Compared to the first 22 days of FIFA 22, this year's release averages 22% more gameplay hours per day in its initial release window.

FIFA 23 has signed deals with additional leagues and clubs to bring additional (exclusive) content to the franchise. In particular, EA Sports has invested in agreements with several major women's leagues such as the UEFA Women's Champions League.

Additionally, Apple TV's FIFA 23 branded content from Ted Lasso has been a big hit with fans. EA Sports reports that the players have led AFC Richmond to over a million wins to date.

With Electronic Arts and FIFA's exclusivity agreement expiring at the end of 2022, this version still benefits from the FIFA branding. Next year, EA Sports' football outlet will be dubbed EA Sports FC. Time will tell if this rebranding will impact sales, but investors will likely compare its performance to the unprecedented success of FIFA 23.

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