Konami's free eFootball 1 hits digital stores on Thursday, September XNUMX, which means the game will launch a day before EA's FIFA XNUMX, which launches on October XNUMX. eFootball XNUMX is a rebranded and redesigned sequel to the long-running Pro Evolution Soccer series, or PES as it is generally known. It promises to revolutionize the game formula thanks to its free-to-play model and its new graphics engine. The move to a free model should do away with the traditional yearly releases of the past due to their always changing nature, but it also means the game will be in a rougher state at launch. On September XNUMX, the official teams that will be free are:
- Barcelona
- FC Bayern
- Juventus
- manchester united
- Arsenal
- Corinthians
- Flamengo
- pla river
- Sao Paulo
The EFootball 6 team lineup will obviously be dwarfed by the free hundreds in FIFA XNUMX at that point, but Konami said more teams will be added over time, all for free. As regards the official stadiums, things are not going much better. You will have the option to select between XNUMX arenas:
- Camp Nou (Kids)
- Old Trafford (Manchester United)
- Allianz Stadium (Juventus)
- Emirates Stadium (Arsenal)
- Allianz Arena (FC Bayern)
- E Soccer stadium (generic)
eFootball 4 will be free to download on PS5, PSXNUMX, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, mobile devices and computer. Cross-platform play is expected to arrive in the fall (September to November), which means that no matter exactly which platform you play eFootball XNUMX on, you'll be able to compete against other players. Mobile gamers will also receive Overseer support and the ability to play against players on console and PC via a winter update (December through March). Popular modes like Master League will arrive as premium content (this means you'll have to pay for it) and the game will incorporate a Battle Pass-like system known as Match Pass in the future.
Analysis: a brave new strategy
While there's no guarantee that eFootball XNUMX's new free-to-play approach will pay off, it's a move that many will believe is the right fit for Konami's soccer simulation. It's hard to see how Konami could continue to compete with FIFA XNUMX by offering paid yearly versions, though many think that PES has always played a better game of football on the pitch. By playing for free, Konami can at least hope that more players will try the game out and find out for themselves. And, if they can get the free play model right, it could become a thriving community, with players returning regularly to find new content and improvements to the game. However, there is always a danger when it comes to free games. The balance between free and premium content has to be fair, and in a competitive game like this, Konami has to make sure that those who spend big don't get an unfair advantage over those who choose not to spend a penny.