4. Sponsorship
The perennial Achilles heel of the franchise. Ever since its baby steps into stardom around Pro Evo 2, question marks were constantly raised over the lack of official licensing for the majority of teams, players, and stadiums. Just who were Merseyside Red? Why were Manchester United playing at Trad Brick Stadium? These sorts of questions and grievances have riddled the game for years. Back then people didnt mind as much, largely due to FIFAs weak gameplay and appearance. These days however, names matter. FIFA holds exclusive rights to a number of league licenses, a fact that continues to leave PES in its shadow. If the licensing rivalry was ever settled fairly, PES would become a whole new entity, attracting a new generation of gamers. Signs of breakthrough are doubtful, however.