Pro Evolution Soccer has stood the test of time as one of the longest-lasting and most popular sports simulation games in the industry. Perhaps most famously, the game is renowned for its yearly releases and updates. However, little did we know that 2020 would be the last we would see of PES, as on July 21st, 2021, game developers at Konami officially dubbed the newest version of the game eFootball.

The new title eFootball will become the international title, rather than having the game go by PES in the west and Winning Eleven in Japan. This name change won’t come with a complete rewrite of the franchise, but it will include some notable and important changes within eFootball. One of the largest changes made going from PES to eFootball is the game engine. Konami has switched from their FOX Engine to a new custom-built game engine dubbed Unreal 4.

And perhaps the change that fans are the most excited about are those stand-out words: free to play. Yes, it’s true! eFootball will no longer deal in physical copies, and instead will be free to download on console platforms, PCs, and mobile devices. eFootball will also include free yearly updates and releases for new seasons. Instead of paying to play, fans will be able to purchase certain downloadable content for the game.

What will be returning to eFootball from PES? Well, there will be nine free-to-play game modes that come with the downloaded game. Additional game modes will be available for purchase as DLC. Peter Drury and Jim Beglin will be returning as the game’s commentators, and the Options File will still be included in eFootball.

Other than this, Konami has not included much information about what new and returning features will be included within the gameplay of eFootball. However, eFootball has begun hyping up their new Motion Matching technology, a new animation feature compared to a version of FIFA’s HyperMotion. The new Motion Matching animation system has allowed Konami to include four times more animations per frame and is most excitingly used to enhance the 1v1 player scenarios within the game. Konami has also announced that their Motion Matching will be included in all versions of the game.

While there are many details and specifics Konami has left out about the new game, they’ve made it clear that the console, PC, and mobile games will be as similar as possible. So similar, in fact, that Komani plans on releasing crossplay across all platforms; console, PC, and mobile (mobile players do need to use a controller to access crossplay, however). 

For more information about what Konami has planned for eFootball, take a look at the roadmap below!

And there is still so much more information to be released about eFootball! Konami has announced that more information about gameplay and modes will be released in late August, around the same time that Gamescom 2021 will be happening. So stay tuned for more information about the new-and-improved eFootball.

eFootball will be available for free download on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC in Fall 2021. The mobile version of the game on iOS and Android will follow.