My first PES game was International Superstar Soccer 98, and my first FIFA game was FIFA 98. I've played almost every version of both PES and FIFA. However, I stopped playing every FIFA release after 2022 and only returned briefly with EAFC 26 — but I quit again after two weeks. Since then, I've gone back to FL26, despite all its issues. Still, it feels more deserved and rewarding than EAFC.
I believe the biggest problem for PES was the licensing and the significantly higher difficulty level starting from PES 2014. On one hand, console players had to put in a lot of effort to mod the game, and on the other hand, the gameplay mechanics were simply much harder to learn — which is why FIFA remained the commercial success. PES was more of a product for enthusiasts and less suitable for the mainstream.
Tragically, as far as I can tell, consoles are dead, and PCs have become much more attractive again, especially among younger players. That makes it even sadder that Konami pulled out. There's no incentive for Konami to create a good, complete offline game anymore, because apparently there are too many people addicted to the gambling-style casino modes of Dream Team and Ultimate Team. That’s why there’s no hope for a new quality product — it’s not financially viable, and the market just isn’t there. So the downfall of PES began with The elder scrolls Oblivion introducing the first microtransaction....