"As one of the greatest defenders in the history of U.S. Soccer, Eddie Pope has redefined his position and is truly the perfect cover athlete for Winning Eleven 8," said Rob Goff, Product Manager at Konami Digital Entertainment - America. "With his help and the many numerous additions to this year's game - including the franchise debut on the Xbox - there is no doubt Winning Eleven 8 will own the playing field."
Pope added, "Being on the cover of a video game is the new standard for any athlete. I've always been a big fan of Winning Eleven and I'm honored to be a part of it because this is the best playing soccer game in the world. Konami has managed to capture the passion and excitement of the game down to the smallest details. It's an incredibly realistic soccer experience."
Developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, Winning Eleven 8 delivers a wealth of new moves, tricks and more in-depth gameplay. This includes new free kick and penalty kick techniques, an innovative indirect free kick move and a new dribbling system that offers more control as gamers go one-on-one against opposing players. Winning Eleven 8 will also include an on-screen referee - another first in the series.
Further adding to the realism of the game, Winning Eleven 8 will feature 136 club teams, 57 national teams (including the Italian, Spanish and Dutch leagues under the official license), and control of up to 4,500 of the world's greatest soccer players. Players are brought to life through photo realistic graphics and authentically modeled features, as well as individual styles of play, movement and ball control. Along with these new features will be more advanced player stats that govern every aspect of their play.
Winning Eleven 8 will be available at retailers nationwide in spring 2005 for the PlayStation 2, PC and Xbox.