He didn't really nail it tbh. The problems aren't even just that.
I would like to know where this whole thing generated. Has SI ever specifically stated this?
But... Steam surveys?!
I don't know if I'm reading this wrong but according to Steam surveys a gigantic majority of players can play FIFA 20 or newer. An infinitesimal percentage of players would have to settle for FIFA 14 or so.
But my computer is totally trash. I have an integrated gpu.
Any semi/not-so recent igpu can run at least FIFA 18. A recent cheap laptop one (even a bad one like a weaker Intel one) can run 21 or 22. A €300-350 Ryzen laptop (even one from like 4 generations ago - couple years before Covid) might even reach triple digit fps and can also run GTA V and others. A 9-10 year old laptop igpu can run fairly good games (not so recent obviously but might reach up to FIFA 18).
Most people around here defend the whole specs thing saying their PC is trash but end up having PCs capable of way better.
Are the specs holding the game back?
Not really. For starters I'm unsure the minimum specs can be called realistic for the 3D engine nowadays. Up until 2017 or 18(?) or so it seemed more than fine. But the game seemed to have become a tad heavier a couple of years ago. I've had several laptops (and tested with other people) and even a 4th/5th gen i5/i7u laptop failed to have a 100% fluid experience. The 3D engine stuttered quite a bit on one of them and even the interface, mostly during match time, felt a little laggy at times. Performance can vary quite a bit between different PCs even with similar specs but the same laptop had FIFA 16 at the time and it worked "ok". An older desktop should handle it better but then again.. it'll handle better stuff.
Performance isn't 100% linear like that as I had a much weaker laptop (RIP Core 2 Duo) that somehow wasn't too far off from that laptop's 3D performance so like I said it can vary quite a bit. (it had miserable loading times however)
With the minimum specs you might have a horribly laggy UI (player/staff/scouting search can be painful and the UI/skin/cache/wtv bugs don't help) among other things.
I can also add that the minimum specs for this game are more or less the same as FIFA 14. (or like others mentioned in this thread before FIFA Manager)
The FM community
Not like this even matters due to the last point but:
Sure there may be one or other that fits that special criteria. But people seem to vastly overestimate the number. Check the offtopic forum or reddit and tons of FM players play something else. Some people ONLY play FM but doesn't mean they all have still a 15+ year old PC. That's unlikely anyway really due to malfunctions (15 years any part can be fried by now and a lot aren't worth fixing), incompatibilities, work, kids or even problems with FM (especially on a laptop as it might not be that easy to make the correct GPU be recognized anymore due to drivers, etc.. and those drivers also bring problems as they're no longer aimed at those old laptops, etc...)
Conclusion - TL/DR?
FM's 3D engine could be more efficient/well optimized I guess (not the worst ever or anything). With PCs that barely run FM you can run better looking games (yes it includes FIFA). It is what it is.
But If SI doesn't think it's the best course to focus on that it's up to them. But can we quit making excuses for this?