Why isn‘t Napoli in FIFA 23?
As a passionate Serie A and FIFA gamer, I was shocked to boot up FIFA 23 and find no trace of Napoli in the game. Instead, there is a generic team named "Napoli FC" with no official branding, names or kits from the real club.
So why has EA Sports failed to secure the licenses and rights to include SSC Napoli properly in FIFA 23?
Exclusivity Deal With Rival Game eFootball
According to multiple gaming news sites, Napoli has signed an exclusive partnership with Konami for their football title eFootball. This gives them full access to Napoli‘s IP, branding and assets for their game, while restricting other video game companies like EA Sports from featuring the club in titles like FIFA 23 without their permission.
The same agreement applies to Roma, Lazio and Atalanta – all have struck exclusivity deals to be in eFootball, cutting FIFA 23 off from using their genuine kits, badges or even the official club names. Instead, generic versions like "Bergamo Calcio" and "Latium" take their place.
Financial Details and Strategic Importance
While the specifics around the eFootball partnership agreements are not public knowledge, experts estimate each Serie A club is earning millions per year for their exclusive rights.
For smaller clubs like Atalanta and Lazio, this income could provide a vital revenue stream in an increasingly competitive transfer market. Napoli too will view it as crucial from a sustainability standpoint.
However, as a lifeline FIFA gamer who longs for authenticity, this hurts the immersive experience significantly. I‘d argue most virtual managers would happily forgo the Serie A licenses altogether if it allowed us to play as the real Napoli FC we know and love!
When Will Napoli Return to FIFA?
Only time will tell if and when clubs like Napoli return to EA‘s footballing empire. As their eFootball contracts expire over the coming years, massive financial offers could tempt them back.
However if exclusive titles continue being such a windfall, they may look to extend – or other major clubs and leagues could be the next to jump ship to rivals like eFootball or UFL.
Losing even more big teams from the world‘s most popular football game series would be devastating for gameplay. Yet the more competing simulator franchises arise, the harder it becomes for EA to fend them off.
Wider Context of Licensing Issues
Napoli‘s absence is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to major teams missing from FIFA over recent years due to legal issues around intellectual property, branding and such.
As the below table shows, several giants with huge global fanbases are not featuring under their genuine identities and assets:
| Team | Known As In FIFA 23 |
|---|---|
| Juventus | Piemonte Calcio |
| Boca Juniors | Buenos Aires FC |
| River Plate | Nuñez FC |
With over 300 individual club license agreements needed just for top leagues like the English Premier League and Bundesliga, it‘s inevitable that some deals will not be renewed for each new FIFA release.
However when combined with exclusive partnerships like Napoli‘s with eFootball, it restricts EA‘s ability to improve upon FIFA 23‘s current 97% licensing of teams and players.
Community Reaction & Speculation
Across social media platforms and forums, fans have not held back in blasting EA Sports for failing to secure Napoli alongside other Italian favorites:
"This will ruin my Serie A saves for the year"
"Might just get a option file if EA refuses to fix licenses next year"
"Lazio as Latium? Joke of a ‘simulation‘ game!"
Some have Optimistically floated rumors that Napoli could return later as DLC or pointed to Atletico Madrid joining FIFA 22 post-launch despite initially being missing.
But with eFootball partnerships locking clubs out contractually from featuring in FIFA at all, this unfortunately appears unlikely.
The Final Whistle
As a lifelong football gamer it‘s painful to see licenses yanked from my favorite game due to corporate greed and rival companies battling it out. But with so much money in play, the odds of Napoli returning anytime soon feel slim.
At least we can take solace that the outstanding gameplay, graphics and hyper-realism of FIFA remains lightyears ahead of lackluster alternatives like eFootball!
For more passionate commentary and insights on the beautiful game, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel _____ for regular video breakdowns. And let me know your thoughts on the Napoli situation below!
