It's hard not to fight back the tears that the beloved 'Pro Evolution Soccer' series is no more.
Back in the 2000s, Pro Evo was a clear competitor to FIFA and gave us hours and hours of enjoyment. Whether it was the Master League and all those weird names or playing as 'Manchester Red' or 'Merseyside Blue' to name a few.
Pro Evolution Soccer had a niche in the soccer gaming world and it stood the test of time. Now, Konami are moving away from the series with the announcement of 'eFootball'.
The new 'eFootball' game will be digital-only and free-to-play on all the major consoles - including the PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X & S, Xbox One and PC.
It has also been announced that there will be an Android and iOS version, and the game will allow for cross-play between consoles.
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
PES, as it is known in Western countries, was rebranded to eFootball globally. The new rollout will see eFootball function rather similarly to Fortnite with in-game purchases and advertising making up the monetary value.
So will there be an eFootball 22? According to an IGN article, eFootball will be a once-off launch with the game receiving regular updates as the seasons commence.
The first launch of the game will feature exhibition matches with 9 clubs to choose from. From initial releases, it seems that Arsenal, Manchester United, Barcelona, Juventus and Bayern Munich are the only clubs available in Europe's top leagues.
The new eFootball will be built on Unreal Engine 4 and create a new 'motion matching' system, similar to the new HyperMotion feature in FIFA 22.
More announcements are expected about the game in late August.
See Also: FIFA 22 Beta Review: EA Sports' 'HyperMotion' Engine Is A Real Game Changer
