While it was panned at launch, Konami’s eFootball has quietly carved out a niche for itself in the free-to-play football space, and is updated constantly with new content and features.
Perhaps better known as Winning 11 or Pro Evolution Soccer, the long-running series actually got its start as Goal Storm on the PS1, which was an incredibly fun evolution of International Superstar Soccer on the SNES.
And with that game turning 30 this year, the publisher has some big announcements planned.
It all gets started with an in-game event, available now in eFootball until 10th July, where you’ll be able to take control of “classic polygonal player models” which will take you all the way back to 1995.
“The Nostalgia campaign offers a packed line-up of limited-time content that honours the franchise’s roots while delivering new gameplay experiences for fans both old and new.”
Among those events is a new mode named Time Leap Trials, which will challenge you to score as many goals as you possibly can while the clock counts down using the aforementioned character models.
There are also new player cards for Adriano, Roberto Baggio, and Gerard Piqué, each reflective of their respective PES eras.
This will all be followed by a Special Event, live streamed from Shibuya in Tokyo, where “major announcements, including new in-game licenses and details about ongoing 30th anniversary celebrations” will be revealed.
Konami promised years ago that it would be adding a single player Master League mode to eFootball, so we’re hopeful it’s finally time. But with the game so focused on its Dream Team gacha-style mode, we’re not overly confident.
Either way, we do miss the classic Pro Evolution Soccer campaigns. While the Career mode in EA Sports FC has improved, it’s never scratched the same itch as Master League, and we’d love to see it make a comeback – especially as the franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary.
Have you touched eFootball since its undercooked launch? Do you like the look of these classic retro character models? Feel nostalgic over old PS1 footie games in the comments section below.