After a less than stellar start to the 2021 news cycle, Konami has slowly been releasing information regarding its upcoming eFootball title. As we do around here, it’s our responsibility to keep you up-to-date on the latest and greatest, this time from Konami’s Twitter and an interview from TheLoadout.com. Below, we talk about Konami heading to Gamescom later in August, and also get a little more understanding about how eFootball will look on next-gen consoles.
Haptics And Adaptive Trigger Support
Konami has already confirmed that eFootball will be developed for consoles first:
Q: Is eFootball™ just a mobile game for consoles?
A: eFootball™ is developed first for consoles but is a platform for everyone to enjoy. The game will take full advantage of the hardware capabilities of each supported device.
— eFootball (@play_eFootball) August 2, 2021
By “taking advantage of the hardware capabilities of each supported device” Konami Senior Producer Seitaro Kimura confirms that the PS5 version will have full support for the DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers. This is a nice inclusion given how well received the adaptive triggers were for next-gen FIFA 21. The logical choice would be to tie these features to sprint and contact animations, but I’m curious to see if Konami pushes the envelope here and takes it to the next level.
Next-Gen Features
“[New-gen] consoles and high-performance PCs allow us to devote more resources to gameplay, so we’ve included a variety of elements that are not possible on mobile, such as 3D lawns, spectators’ realistic movement, cross-processing of moving kits, rich lighting, and motion blur. This is something that cannot be achieved on a mobile device.
“The sound, which is important for creating a stadium atmosphere, has been reconstructed from scratch, and the cheers and sighs of the crowd will add to the excitement of the game, too.”
One of the things that has flown under the radar amidst all the eFootball hoopla is the gameplay-related updates. Konami has always been quiet when it comes to yearly or even mid-cycle data packs, but here’s the first real mention about gameplay. I’m not quite sure how to dissect it as the move to next gen should require some resources, but perhaps here is where the benefit of moving to the Unreal Engine pays dividends. With the shared resources that Unreal offers, it looks like Konami is taking the surplus time and focusing on gameplay and increased stadium sounds.
I would appreciate it if Konami would give us back crowd chant slots like the company did in the PS3/Xbox 360 days. Sure, the licensed clubs will probably have authentic stadium sounds, but there’s only a handful of them and the immersion is short lived when you play a match in a generic environment.
Future DLC
When Konami discussed the free-to-play model for the upcoming eFootball, most of us knew that microtransactions via an a-la-carte type of service was coming. With future modes like MyClub and Master League confirmed, it looks like we’ll have to come out of our pockets to secure access to some traditional PES staples. At what cost though?
“When asked if the total cost of all the DLC modes released over a 12-month window would be more or less than a standard edition of FIFA 22 (approximately $60), Kimura says that exact prices cannot be shared just yet. He does however say that they will be sold as premium content.”
Not much clarification here from Konami as of now. I think the majority of the PES community is on board with the free-to-play model in theory and prefer to only pay for the modes they like, but the prices could change a lot of opinions, myself included.
Konami’s Ambitions
Konami has been second-best to EA’s FIFA franchise for quite some time now when it comes to sales. The acquisition of licenses, the explosion of FIFA Ultimate Team, and many other calculated moves have positioned FIFA atop the charts for not only sports games but all game genres. After sitting out last year and only offering an update, Konami has put it all on the line with this year’s game.
“We were working on a project to revamp the PES game engine to coincide with the release of the next generation of home game consoles such as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S,” Kimura tells The Loadout. “At the same time, we knew that we needed to meet the needs of the market by making the game free-to-play and cross-platform, allowing players to compete and cooperate across devices. Following the major changes in the game engine and business aspects, we will create an impactful esports scene with cross-platform.”
The writing was on the wall back in 2020 when Konami fully embraced esports. It’s with this in mind that the company is prioritizing cross-platform play with the hopes of bringing all of their players into the same arena. It’s a bold move by Konami, one that’s banking on the success of previously free-to-play games like Fortnite and Call of Duty Warzone. What’s different in the case of Konami is that companies like Activision have vast experience in dealing with large online multiplayer games, something Konami has struggled with when it comes to PES. Time will tell if Konami is successful at pulling off full cross-platform play.
Gamescom
Over the summer, Konami, like many other companies, pulled out of E3 citing “timing” issues. These timing issues, combined with the lackluster trailer reveal and eFootball Roadmap, point towards the game not being ready for its normal late August release. Konami’s official Twitter account has been relatively silent apart from chiming in on the Messi to PSG transfer. EA has taken a different approach with FIFA 22 by showing nearly all of their cards. Regardless, a few days ago Konami confirmed its presence at Gamescom.
We are delighted to confirm our participation in @gamescom 2021, where we'll be revealing new information about @play_eFootball and @YuGiOhCardEU Master Duel!
gamescom will be held digitally from 25th-27th August. Get more info below. 👇https://t.co/jjBTjNZWoN pic.twitter.com/PSVo4PP9aC
— KONAMI UK (@KONAMIUK) August 9, 2021
The Gamescom 2021 schedule hasn’t been announced yet, but I’d expect to hear some more details about modes and companion pieces such as Edit Mode. Longtime PES spokesperson Adam Bhatti teased that more information will be dropping in late August but didn’t offer any further details about what we’ll find out.
It’s been a few weeks of radio silence since Konami’s less than stellar reveal trailer. After the initial clean up job the next day, Konami has mostly been relying on various media outlets to release morsels of information. If the past is any indication, I wouldn’t hold my breath in hopes of major announcements, especially those centered around gameplay updates. However, I am extremely intrigued by what we’ll see at Gamescom, and as always, we’ll keep you up-to-date on all eFootball news.
