CLIO Sports

Triangles Shaped Uncommon's Rebrand of EA Sports FC

Virtual soccer and IRL game collide

How many sides in a soccer match? EA Sports says three.

In a triangle-themed rebrand, the gaming titan sheds its ties to FIFA. Moving forward, its bestselling European football title will rock the name EA Sports FC. To trumpet this fresh identity, creative studio Uncommon developed a logo, typefaces and other elements that fuse the realms of virtual and IRL soccer.

Consider: player-control triangles appear above game characters, and the shape features in actual soccer plays, too

Rapper Dave explains the approach in this promo:

Video Reference
EA Sports Triangles ft. Dave

Per Uncommon’s blog, “The triangle has been waiting patiently on the bench for over 30 years and it’s time to finally unleash it. It’s a shape that has transformed the game over and over again. From Cruyff to Guardiola. From passing patterns to set plays. The triangle has revolutionized the game as we know it.”

What’s more: “The shape has also been woven into the DNA of EA Sports football experiences for decades; from the isometric angles of our very first 8-bit experiences and the triangular polygons that make up every pixel of our most modern game.”

Two custom typefaces draw inspiration from the game as well. One interprets the legendary Johan Cryuff turn, while another fetes Brazil’s Marta. Limited-edition merch made the rounds at European stadiums last weekend, while Karim Benzema and David Beckham helped amplify the push on social.

All in all, it’s a sleek refresh that plays true to both the real and virtual worlds, cannily acknowledging that they draw closer every day.

“Clients tend to approach the studio in a moment of change,” says Uncommon co-founder Nils Leonard. “To anyone that’s ever kicked a ball, with their foot or their thumb, we hope this does the beautiful game justice.”

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