FIFA 15: 10 Lessons It Must Learn From Classic PES

9. Licenses Aren't Everything

Raw gameplay aside, official licensing has been at the heart of the FIFA versus PES debate for years. The plethora of deals held by EA Sports have been central to the series' popularity; to be exact, FIFA 14 features 33 fully-licensed leagues including virtually every single one of the major competitions around the globe €“ bar the Konami-owned UEFA Champions League. Although some were willing to ignore EA Sports' clunky gameplay on previous-gen consoles in exchange for the bells and whistles offered by a list of glamorous partnerships, others preferred Konami's product despite its limited authenticity. But there was a gateway to the best of both worlds. A detailed Edit Mode and fan-made patches provided a sanctuary for those who craved a sophisticated football sim, but couldn't bear to play a WEFA Championship (Champions League) final between Man Red (Manchester United) and Isar (Bayern Munich). Edit Mode would suffice for simple touch ups like renaming unlicensed clubs, stadiums, players and competitions and making logos and kits, but hardcore licensing enthusiasts could go a step further using patches on PC. These allowed fans to download kits, player faces and hairstyles, boots, stadiums, scoreboards, trophies and add new leagues, all thanks to a hugely dedicated and talented PES fan base. Fans love being able to tailor PC versions of PES to their own personal taste, and this should prompt EA Sports to spread their licensing network even further €“ or provide a means for console versions of their game to be moulded in a similar fashion.