What PES 2022 may look like (Source: Youtube screengrab)
Konami has decided to do away with Pro Evolution Soccer’s (PES) 2021 edition, confirming rumours that have been making rounds for a week. Instead of launching a full-fledged, Konami announced on July 15 that they will be releasing this year’s edition as a season update. In a bid to attract new customers and maintain the interest of the existing ones, Konami has promised to make the 2021 version more affordable as this year marks the 25th anniversary of the football game franchise.
Listening to its customers, Konami also promised that large updates are in works for myClub and Master League content modes along with several bonuses.
“The sheer scale of everything we are aiming to achieve for our next gen debut has made it necessary to pare back our efforts in other areas of development. As a result, we have made the decision to launch this year’s PES as a streamlined offering in the form of a season update,” the statement said.
[Information regarding the eFootball PES series]
Taking PES to a Whole New Level https://t.co/v5OX0AA4qe pic.twitter.com/sOLoOcak6B
— eFootball PES (from 🏠) (@officialpes) July 15, 2020
The announcement included that the title for the next generation of the game will incorporate the core concept of “The Pitch is Ours”. A teaser trailer was also made public for the same featuring Argentine legend Lionel Messi in Barcelona jersey at Camp Nou.
“This title is being developed with an updated engine that will enable us to dazzle you with staggering improvements to all areas of the game. Expect more realistic player models and animations, enhanced physics, photorealistic visuals, and much much more,” the upcoming features explained in the statement.
The 2022 version will be available for recently unveiled next-gen consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. The next-generation title is in works as its being developed with the help of Epic Games’ Unreal Engine. It is expected to begin testing in mid-2021 whereas the release date of PES 2022 is expected later in the year.
On the other hand, its competitor EA Sports will be launching two different versions for the FIFA 21 for the current-gen and the next-gen consoles.