A Brief History: The Rise of PES
If you’ve played football games over the past 20 years, you know that Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) wasn’t just a game—it was a lifestyle. Developed by Konami, PES was the spiritual rival to FIFA. It delivered more realistic gameplay, better ball physics, and, for many, the superior “feel” of football.
Football fans deserve better. But is Konami listening?
PES 5, PES 6, PES 2013—these titles weren’t just good; they were iconic. No fancy licenses, no flashy menus—just raw, satisfying football. At its peak, PES had a loyal global community that swore by its more tactical, nuanced approach.
Then Came the Fall: eFootball 2021 and Disaster
In 2021, Konami decided to “evolve” the franchise. Instead of PES 2022, we got eFootball—a free-to-play rebranding that launched with bugs, awful animations, and graphics that looked like they were pulled from an early PS2 beta test.
The reception? Brutal. Fans called it the worst football game launch in history. Steam reviews were overwhelmingly negative. The memes were relentless. It was a tragic moment for longtime PES players. Instead of evolving, it felt like Konami had rage-quit its own game.
Is Konami Planning a Comeback?
Recently, rumors have swirled around Konami quietly hiring new devs and scouting partnerships for football projects. Some insiders suggest a return to more traditional, paid game models for future iterations—maybe not under the PES name, but in the same spirit.
Konami hasn’t officially confirmed anything beyond updates to eFootball, but their slow improvements to that platform—while not miraculous—do show they haven’t abandoned the genre entirely. But whether they’ll double down or back out entirely is still a mystery wrapped in PR silence.
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PES vs FIFA/EA FC: How It Stacks Up
Let’s face it—FIFA (now rebranded as EA Sports FC) has always had the edge in presentation, licensing, and production value. You want Premier League, La Liga, real kits and stadiums? EA owns the yard.
But PES always fought back with tighter gameplay, less arcade-style mechanics, and a deeper football feel. Hardcore fans often say FIFA feels like playing ping pong with football skins, while PES felt like a real match unfolding.
Today, EA FC continues FIFA’s legacy with Ultimate Team and all its monetized glory. Meanwhile, eFootball tries to survive on mobile ports and incremental updates. It’s clear who’s leading—but is it who’s doing it better? That depends on what you care about: realism or licenses, gameplay or glam.
What Fans Actually Want
At this point, most of us would settle for a polished PES 2013 with updated graphics and proper online servers. Players want tight gameplay, responsive controls, and enough features to keep seasons interesting without needing to sell a kidney for FUT packs.
Konami still has a fan base. It’s smaller, it’s bruised, but it’s loyal. If they can cut the microtransaction madness and focus on fundamentals, a PES comeback isn’t just possible—it might even be glorious.
Final Whistle: Will It Happen?
Will Konami revive PES properly? No one knows for sure. But hope lives on in forums, tweets, and YouTube comments from nostalgic fans who just want to nutmeg someone without the game crashing.
Maybe Konami’s silence means they’re working on something big. Or maybe they’re just watching the esports charts and crying into old PES 6 discs. Either way, football deserves competition—and the return of PES could be the spark that reignites the genre.
Sources:
- Official eFootball Website
- IGN – The Downfall of PES
- Eurogamer – Konami Football Project Rumors
- Gamespot – Konami’s Response to Criticism
