EA Sports Football Club controller
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Concept — Packaging Design
Performance Designed Products (PDP, now part of Turtle Beach) worked closely with EA Sports — a division of Electronic Arts — to create an official controller that aligned with the visual identity and energy of the FIFA series, a global franchise with over 260 million copies sold. Within this collaboration, I developed the early product concepts, designed the controller’s visual language, and created the product graphics, packaging, and user manuals. The goal was to craft a controller that felt rooted in modern football culture while delivering a focused, premium experience for players deeply invested in the sport.
Overview — Football gaming attracts players who want gear reflecting their connection to the sport. The EA Sports Football Club Controller was created to merge recognizable football aesthetics with a cohesive, modern hardware identity. I began by developing multiple soccer ball concepts inspired by professional leagues and international competitions. These shaped the controller’s surface patterns, color blocking, and overall visual system — one of the ball designs was later featured in the official FIFA game, strengthening the link between hardware and the in-game experience.
Design Approach — The design direction translated the dynamics of modern football into a sleek, structured visual language for the controller. Organic cuts, layered graphics, and athletic color palettes, inspired by the initial ball explorations, created a unified system echoing the geometry and motion of real match balls. The goal was to craft an identity that felt expressive and energetic without tying it to a specific team or league. This ensured the controller could resonate with a broad spectrum of football fans who wanted hardware reflecting the sport’s contemporary visual culture while still looking refined and intentional.
Visual Development — Building on the design language, I created high-fidelity renders and product graphics highlighting the controller’s football-driven aesthetic. Packaging was structured and aligned with EA Sports’ brand standards, using bold typography and graphics from the controller’s patterns and official branding. The instruction manual followed the same system, emphasizing clarity and cohesion. Marketing visuals reinforced the product’s energetic tone with football-inspired compositions and color treatments, positioning the controller as an authentic extension of the sport while emphasizing movement, precision, and energy.
Outcome — The final EA Sports Football Club Controller is a cohesive, football-inspired hardware concept that integrates seamlessly into the FIFA gaming ecosystem. The unified design language — from ball-driven graphics to packaging and manual — created a product that feels expressive and purposeful, offering fans a tangible piece of the sport they truly love. One of my ball designs was included in the official FIFA game, strengthening the connection between the physical controller and the digital experience. The result is a distinctive, high-quality accessory that resonates with dedicated football fans, combining modern aesthetics with a well-crafted, thoughtful identity.
video courtesy of GameStop
The design of the EA Sports Football Club controllers was inspired by some of the most iconic soccer ball designs of recent years, translating their patterns, textures, and visual energy into the controller’s form and graphics.
