6. More Licenses
Considering how impressive EA Sports' work to put as many licensed teams and competitions into FIFA 13 clearly was, it's a shame that there's no space for the African Cup of Nations, or either the Champions League or Europa League competitions. The latter two are a little more understandable considering the cost that would presumably be required to make them part of any game, but the lack of an African Cup of Nations feels more like a simple oversight. With a lot more African players now plying their trade in the top divisions in Europe, their bi-annual trips back to Africa to play in the tournament represent a particularly pressing concern for top league bosses, and that should be reflected in the game's Career Mode. For two Januaries in a row, Alan Pardew has had to be without his starting strike-force duo, thanks to their international affiliation with Senegal, and top Premier League talents like John Obi Mikel, Cheick Tiote, Yaya Toure and Gervinho could all be taken away from their clubs at a crucial point in the domestic season, testing the team's resources and their managers' adaptability to pressure. To not have that reflected in as big a game as FIFA 13 feels like a missed opportunity for more realism. The next licensing step must surely be to bring in fully licensed major tournaments - like the World Cup and the Champions League, but as long as EA Sports recognise the potential to release those competitions as DLC Expansions as they did with the World Cup, I can't see it happening. I would however be willing to buy affordable expansions, so even that option is preferable to just not including the licenses at all. It's also a shame that there's still no place for the Argentinian league, which ranks among the best in the world and features some of the continents best talents.