A new brand identity for a new generation of consoles and players, eFootball represents a fresh approach for the long-running franchise, previously known as Pro Evolution Soccer and Winning Eleven.

Thanks to the greatly evolved football game engine, the animation system has also been overhauled. New technology called "Motion Matching" converts the vast range of movements that players make on the pitch into a series of animations, selecting the most accurate one in real-time. The system provides more than four times as many animations as before, achieving highly realistic movement. “Motion Matching” will be utilised across all eFootball platforms, including last-gen consoles, PCs and mobile.

Ensuring that eFootball is an experience that everyone can enjoy, Konami’s new football game is free-to-play across console, PC and mobile. Importantly, eFootball will also present a fair and balanced experience for all players. More details about gameplay and online modes will be revealed in late August.

As a digital-only title, Konami will regularly add new content and game modes after launch this Autumn. Local matches featuring FC Barcelona, Juventus, FC Bayern, Manchester United and others will be available, for free, at launch. In the future, certain game modes will be sold as optional DLC, giving players the freedom to build an experience that follows their interests.

Uniting football’s global gaming community for the first time, eFootball will offer the same highly realistic esports experience across console, PC and mobile, including full cross-play support post-launch. eFootball on mobile will be detailed at a later date.

eFootball 2022 will first be released on September 30th, providing users with a taste of what to expect from the new free-to-play football simulation platform, before the first major update goes live, at no cost, this Autumn. That same update will also mark the launch of eFootball 2022 for iOS and Android devices.

Seitaro Kimura, eFootball series Producer at Konami Digital Entertainment commented: “With ‘eFootball’ being the name of our overall platform, ‘eFootball 2022’ is the official title for our first season of content. Platform updates bringing new functionality, such as cross-platform matchmaking and mobile controller support, will happen frequently over the coming months and will always be free. Future content updates and game modes will be offered to players as either free or premium options. We look forward to getting players on the pitch and receiving their feedback.”

eFootball 2022 Launch Contents

At the heart of eFootball is eFootball World, where players can enjoy matches with real-life teams from September 30th for no cost. Content includes:

Offline Matches

• Play against the AI or a friend offline with nine fully authentic clubs to choose from: FC Barcelona, FC Bayern München, Juventus, Manchester United, Arsenal FC, SC Corinthians Paulista, CR Flamengo, CA River Plate, São Paulo FC
• Choose from six stadiums: Camp Nou, Old Trafford, Allianz Stadium, Emirates Stadium, Allianz Arena, eFootball Stadium

Online Events

• Experience cross-generation matchmaking (PlayStation®5 vs. PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S vs. Xbox One) with weekly online events using pre-set teams, providing rewards such as GP

eFootball 2022 Major Update Contents

This Autumn, exact date to be announced later, several core features will be added to eFootball World, including Creative Teams, as a free update. This timing will also introduce the platform’s new monetisation model; re-balanced to ensure that all players can reach the same potential, regardless of how they acquire in-game items. New content includes:

Creative Teams

• Sign footballers and coaches that match your favourite formations and tactics, then train and strengthen them to play against players from around the world. In eFootball 2022, players will be able to target the signings that they covet the most, making team building more accessible
• Choose a Base Team from one of over 600 licensed clubs/teams to use their authentic crest, kit and stadium*, before building out your dream squad

*Authentic stadiums are not available for all clubs.

New Match Modes*

• eFootball Creative League – this is a league where players can use their Creative Team to compete against other players to become the best in the world. Earn points in order to be promoted to the next league level and earn rewards based on your performance in each of the 10 rounds of matches
• Tour Event – play against AI opponents in a tour format, earning rewards by accumulating Event Points
• Challenge Event – play against other players online, completing assigned objectives to earn rewards
• Online Quick Match – play a casual online match against other players using over 600 licensed clubs/teams, including newly added cross-platform matchmaking (PC and consoles only)
• Online Match Lobby – create an online match room and invite other players for a 1vs1 match

*Certain match modes will go live after v1.0 launch, more details will be shared.

New Player Types

• Standard – players based on performance during the current season, they can be signed with eFootball Coins (Chance Deal item) or GP (Nominating Contracts item)
• Trending – players based on specific matches or weeks in which they put in an impressive performance, they can be signed with Nominating Contracts
• Featured – hand-picked players that can be signed with eFootball Coins (Chance Deal item) or eFootball Points (Nominating Contract item)
• Legendary – players based on a specific remarkable season, which can be signed with eFootball Coins (Chance Deal item) or eFootball Points (Nominating Contract item)
• There are three in-game currencies within eFootball: eFootball Coins (premium currency), GP (earned through gameplay) and eFootball Points (earned through gameplay)

Match Passes & Objectives*

• After a number of certain match types played, Match Passes will reward items such as “Nominating Contract”, which will allow users to sign specific players of their choosing, eFootball Coins and more. Users will also have the option to purchase a premium “Advantage Match Pass” for even greater rewards
• Separately, receive in-game rewards for completing certain objectives and for even greater rewards, users have the option to spend eFootball Coins to unlock Premium Objectives

*Certain functionality will go live after v1.0 launch, more details will be shared.

eFootball on iOS & Android

With the eFootball platform built on Unreal Engine, it has been possible to unify the experience across console, PC and mobile – providing true console-level gameplay on iOS and Android devices.

For current eFootball PES 2021 users on mobile, eFootball 2022 will be provided as an update to the existing app, but completely overhauling what came before with a new engine and features.

Even with the significant changes, the development team has made it so that current mobile users will be able to carry over many in-game items once eFootball 2022 goes live this Autumn. Full details of what can and what cannot be carried over is now available on the official website.

As with console and PC, the eFootballplatform on mobile will receive regular updates to functionality over time. In subsequent free updates, mobile controller support will be added and with it, the ability to choose cross-platform matchmaking between all controller-based players.

Planned Future Updates

Below is a small sample of the features and content that is planned to be added to the platform at a later date, with more details to be announced in the future:

Edit Mode

• The ability to completely customise teams, kits, players and more will be added to supported devices for no cost – more details will be shared soon

Additional Gameplay Updates

• PlayStation®5 haptic feedback and adaptive trigger support
• Advanced ball trapping
• Power Pass, Power Shot and other special kicks
• Mobile controller support
• Full cross-platform matchmaking (PC, console and mobile)

Konami is honored that Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr., two of the greatest footballers of all time, will become global ambassadors for eFootball. In addition, Andrés Iniesta and Gerard Piqué have been closely involved in development as official advisors for offensive and defensive gameplay, respectively.

eFootball will launch for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC (Win10 and Steam) on September 2021, with iOS and Android to follow soon after.