There will be a Pro Evolution Soccer game this year, but Konami has admitted that it’ll be a “pared back” season update while it focuses its efforts on next year’s PES 2022 for the PlayStation 5. According to a website update, Konami is scrapping the Fox Engine and switching to Unreal Engine as it aims to “truly embody our core concept of ‘The Pitch Is Ours’”.
The statement continues: “Expect more realistic player models and animations, enhanced physics, photorealistic visuals, and much, much more. We recognise that many of you are enthusiastic for new myClub and Master League content, and we are also excited to share that large updates are in the works for both of these modes.”
Awkwardly, this year also marks the 25th anniversary of the PES franchise, and so it’s still planning to put something out to celebrate. PES 2021 will apparently “commemorate this important milestone” by launching “at an affordable anniversary price […] with several bonuses”. Sounds like this is going to be a cheap as chips alternative to FIFA 21.
With regards to next-gen PES, it’ll launch in 2021 on the PS5, and there’s a teaser trailer embedded above. We're guessing Konami’s doing away with that awful “eFootball” rebrand, as there’s no mention of that moniker anywhere in the publisher’s statement. More details, it says, will be revealed in due course.
[source konami.com]
Comments 11
This is cool. I haven't properly tried a PES game in a looooong time, but maybe I will when it comes down to a supposedly brand new one for 2022.
Everyone always complains about sports games being annualised and not enough progress made between iterations, so it's only fair to credit them for purposefully taking their time here and being open about it.
I'll wait and see. It's actually good to take a year off I feel.
PES2020 was really good gameplay. but the interface was really lacking. Getting 6-7 pop up messages when the game starts, was a bit upsetting/ Loading times were huge.
@fabisputza00 At least the loading times should be resolved by PS5.
I'm very much a PES (over FIFA) man, but I personally thought that the 2020 edition was a step back for the franchise. For some reason Konami chose to listen to a vocal minority who complained about the demo, which, in my view, was sublime with a slower considered pace, meaningful physicality and a more targeted approach to making challenges.
Alas the full game returned to breakneck twitch pace and overpowered pressing, where you can double-X through the back of attacking players and take the ball.
I personally hope that Konami will be brave enough to follow through with the philosophy of the 2020 demo in the 2022 release.
Edit: Changed 2021 to 2022. Doh!
Konami need to improve A LOT of things on PS5. Graphics are fine, never in doubt that the player faces etc are better than FIFA, it's everything else that needs improving. Hopefully this will do the job.
'Konami is scrapping the Fox Engine and switching to Unreal Engine as it aims to “truly embody our core concept of ‘The Pitch Is Ours’”.'
Isn't corporate speak amazing? 😂
What does that even mean? Lol
Great. Means I save some money. With TLOU2, Ghost and PS5 coming up, my wallet is burned. I am also a PES guy (tried FIFA but don’t like it). I think PES 2020 is a downgrade from 2019. AI teammates can be really infuriating, they become stupider as you increase the difficulty.
Fox engine made PES feel kind of sluggish and the animations weren't very fluid imo.
im sure will be budget price to compensate i bet they still have the money grab
@fabisputza00 PES loads quickly with that simple menu design. I think they go for that for speed compared to FIFA's attractive but extremely slow menus.
This is how football games should be. Less of the minor improvements for each annual release and focus on a noticeably improved title every 2-3 years.
Tap here to load 11 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...