Konami buried its soccer simulation, first published in 2001 under the name “Pro Evolution Soccer”, and with eFootball, a successor based on a free-to-play model with ongoing updates and new content from the Baptism. The old name will disappear completely with the introduction of the new sales model.
PES with a new sales model under a new name
The “Pro Evolution Soccer” series, known in its home country Japan as “Winning Eleven” and in its current version under the title “eFootball PES 2021 Season Update”, has been given a new name. The series, first published in 1995 as ISS (“International Superstar Soccer”) for SNES and PlayStation as well as Game Boy, now has the prefix “eFootball” as the official title.
Konami himself describes the step from “eFootball PES” to “eFootball” on the official website of the game relatively little meaningful.
It all started with an irrepressible will to develop a revolutionary football experience. Our aim was to create the perfect football environment – from the grass on the pitch to the movements of the players and the fans in the stands. “PES” becomes “eFootball”!
Konami
But a change of name alone is not enough in the end if the developer “reboots such a large series ” would like to. So a new sales model was needed. In future the simulation will be offered in a free basic version.
Free-to-play and paid DLCs
The new series, which is to be converted into a service with eFootball and continuously updated with updates and new content, relies on a free-to-play model with paid DLCs and packages, as well as additional game modes that can probably also be paid for with hard cash. There are and were recently also at PES 2021 and the long-term rivals FIFA 21 and FIFA 22. Furthermore, special extras will cost thousands of hours of playing time without payment.
Cross-gaming with little content
The official roadmap provides information that eFootball is currently still very limited in scope. Apart from the new engine, which will be rolled out with the release in autumn 2021, there are only a few well-known football clubs at the beginning, including the German series champion FC Bayern Munich, FC Barcelona with six-time Argentine world footballer Lionel Messi and the British noble and top club Manchester United from what is by far the financially strongest league in the world, the Premiere League.
The official roadmap of eFootball (Image: Konami) The so-called “cross-platform matches” will gradually find their way into the game without already having a fixed date. Konami would like to make the new eFootball fit for international eSports events and start the first tournaments as early as winter. Until then, players of the mobile version on smartphones and tablets should also be involved in cross-gaming.
In autumn on PC, console and Mobile
eFootball will be available this fall on Steam for Windows PCs, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 (test), Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S (test ) as well as the mobile platforms Android and iOS appear.
Details on the monetization of the “football simulation as a service” are available from the publisher, who has a first trailer with the Spanish world champions involved in the creation process Andrés Iniesta and Gerard Piqué has not yet announced.