FIFA 2K is less straightforward than you might think, but…

For the first time, the CEO of Take-Two Interactive has responded to rumors that 2K will be FIFA’s new partner for creating new football games, following the collapse of the partnership with EA. Strauss Zelnick was unable to confirm or deny anything outright, but he did suggest that “FIFA 2K” is less clear than you might think.

Zelnick essentially pointed out to investors that negotiating with FIFA does not get you all the licenses you want or need for a soccer game. So the rights in global soccer are very fragmented. That means you have to negotiate not just with the organizations at the top, but also with individual leagues, tournaments, clubs and even players.

According to Zelnick, this is in sharp contrast to, say, the NFL, NBA or MLB, where you have far fewer interviewers to get all your licenses.

So 2K FIFA isn’t as clear-cut as you might think, but Zelnick did offer clarity on the root of the matter, which is whether or not there will be a FIFA 2K game, and that in itself is perhaps telling. He noted that he’s happy with the current lineup of 2K sports games, but also said that new announcements will likely follow “in due time.”

According to the latest rumors, 2K is already working on a soccer game under the FIFA license. This game will also be released this year, but if so, it seems that an official announcement is imminent.