FIFA 23 has arrived, and whilst elements of the new game have been praised, long-term players of the series have noticed very little change from the previous years.
Whilst some slack has been cut for EA in recent times, patience now appears to be wearing thin.
Major mistakes have been made across modes since FIFA 23's launch, and they could prove terminal for the franchise as competitors wait in the wings to swoop for disgruntled players.
A major battle is set to take place in the football gaming scene, and EA has most certainly gotten off on the wrong foot.
One Last Time...
FIFA 23 is the final collaboration between FIFA and EA Sports, with many long-term fans of the franchise hoping for the game to be a celebration of many years of quality releases.
Whilst FIFA 23 does improve significantly in previous games in terms of gameplay, the lack of new features and menus has arguably made it one of the laziest releases for EA Sports.
The new game doesn't only represent a chance for EA to say goodbye to FIFA, but also for them to audition to fans who are yet to choose between EA Sports FC and whichever developer takes up the FIFA mantle.
Other games like eFootball and Football Manager are starting to impress and grow in popularity, and the mistake-ridden start to FIFA 23 has meant that EA's audition has received many negative reviews.
A Game of Trust
When dropping close to £100 for the premium edition of a game, you want to know that said game is the best it can possibly be.
Ultimately, glitches and bugs are going to exist within the first few weeks of any game's release and we don't blame EA for that, however, the seemingly lazy mistakes that have also occurred are more difficult to stomach.
The recent mistake of releasing a 25K Hero pack in Ultimate Team may seem inconsequential, but it has led to many losing hundreds of thousands of in-game currency and has further crashed the already barren marketplace.
This incident isn't in isolation, with gold players arriving instead of red player picks and pre-order bonuses arriving late - or not at all - all making EA seem like they simply don't care about this game.
If those mistakes are happening in the flagship mode Ultimate Team, then you can already imagine the lack of care given to modes like Career Mode and Pro Clubs.
The Pro Clubs community hit out pre-launch following the omission of the mode from cross-play compatibility and Career Mode has received such little improvement that it may as well be ripped straight from FIFA 20.
FIFA 23 has taken steps forward when it comes to gameplay, but the rest feels like a slog, and EA could be about to pay the price.
Predator Meets Prey
2023 will be a major year for football gaming, with EA Sports FC set for release and an unnamed developer likely to be named to take up the FIFA mantle.
Football Manager will continue its series and eFootball will introduce Master League as paid DLC, with the offline managerial mode ready to rival Career Mode.
New games like Goals and UFL are also set for release next year, with passionate developers ready to take on the established elite.
Football fans are always likely to be swayed by the tide of licenses, with the game boasting authentic teams always likely to gain an advantage.
However, opinions are changing and noticeable unrest can be felt amongst the community, with the next 12 months set to crown a defining era as EA look to stay on top.
Stop, Look, Listen
There is no simple way for any of these games to be crowned champions, but taking feedback from fans and actually listening to what they have to say is a great place to start.
Football Manager developers Sports Interactive are great at engaging with their community and listening to new ideas, and this is something that EA can learn from.
You can't please everyone, we all know that, but the mistakes made in FIFA 23 offer a terrifying example of how everyone - regardless of mode loyalty - can come away feeling let down.
No one knows what the future holds, but it's clear that not enough is being done to please the most important part of any game - the player.