In 2019, Konami tacked on the name eFootball to its soccer franchise making it eFootball PES 2020. Since then, the game has undergone several enhancements and improvements. Many of which includes a renewed drive for authenticity through licenses and mobile gaming initiatives. This week sees another huge change for the series. Konami officially renamed the Pro Evolution Soccer series to eFootball. In addition, it will become a digital-only, free-to-play game.
PES to eFootball Free-to-play
Pro Evolution Soccer,  now eFootball, launches for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC. When it does, the series will be a free-to-play game with mobile and Switch versions coming at a later date. Konami adds by this winter 2021, all versions eFootball will feature cross-play. However, mobile players will need to use controllers to play against other platforms.
Recent Konami updates to the game have been on par with those one might see with season games. Franchise producer, Seitaro Kimura, explains how eFootball aims to take a ‘platform’ approach meaning regular updates. Furthermore, eFootball will no longer ship as annual paid releases. Players can acquire the platform for free and receive yearly updates for new seasons.
The PES series has been renamed eFootball, and it’s becoming a digital-only, free-to-play platform, with no more paid annual releases.https://t.co/AeimgWYQ7D pic.twitter.com/6rpyBAsdCy
— IGN (@IGN) July 21, 2021
Details of the shift are rather scarce for the moment. According to IGN, eFootball launches with exhibition matches and a rough selection of 9 clubs. Other modes comes as optional DLC. It would seem Konami expects players to pay for what they want out of their game. At this time, there has been no mention of MyClub. Konami plans to reveal more details at a later date. However, they do note the game is designed to be “fair and balanced” for all players. It appears Konami is aware of some of the pitfalls with the free-to-play genre.
For now, eFootball will launch with a slimmed experience. More modes, teams, platforms, and cross-play options will be added post-launch. Check out Konami’s current roadmap is below:
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