The Retro-PES Corner

I'd like to ask a question out of curiosity. This is a topic that used to spark intense debates during tournaments among friends at the old LAN houses here in Brazil. Back then, in the mid-2000s, internet access was still quite limited, and there wasn't much information available.

Because of that, I've always wondered: what do Winning Eleven and Pro Evolution Soccer fans around the world think about this?

So here's my question:
What do you prefer to play? :THINK:

Patches/Mods:
They offer impressive visual improvements, such as full licensing, new kits, stadiums, menus, and many other enhancements. However, they often end up changing the game's original identity by modifying leagues, player ratings (overall), squads, gameplay, and many other aspects.

100% Original Game with only an Option File: This preserves the original experience, limiting changes to corrected player names, kits, badges, logos, and team names without altering the game's core structure.

The central point of this discussion is determining how much of the authentic experience envisioned by the developers is actually being preserved. Many editing teams create patches that go far beyond fixing licenses, fundamentally transforming the game. Some of these projects even become extremely popular and are indirectly commercialized.

I remember that whenever my friends and I organized tournaments—especially the more competitive ones—patches were often not allowed. The reasoning was simple: to ensure everyone played the exact same version of the game, preserving the original experience and preventing any modifications that could affect competitive balance.

After thinking deeply about this topic over the years, I've developed what could honestly be described as an obsession with this choice.

Yes, I like patches and mods. I can't deny that I admire the talent, creativity, and incredible work of the modding community. However, I no longer feel comfortable when the game's original structure is drastically altered.

Take Winning Eleven 10 as an example. The game was designed to represent the 2005–06 season. That's why it's perfectly natural to see players like Shunsuke Nakamura playing for both the Japanese national team and Celtic. The entire game—its squads, player ratings, atmosphere, balance, and overall design—was built around that specific period.

With that in mind, I don't see much logic in controlling players like Lamine Yamal within that same game, considering that he hadn't even been born at the time. That kind of time inconsistency breaks the historical identity of the game.

In my opinion, today's football stars make much more sense in modern titles like eFootball or EA Sports FC 27, which were specifically created to represent contemporary football. The classic Winning Eleven/PES games, on the other hand, derive much of their value from preserving a particular era of football history, allowing players to relive that period as authentically as possible.
 
you present two options from which i would definitely would choose modded / patched verison, but I also go with your example that i dont need or want to see modern players in a retro PES. but this might be the case because i have fallen out of love with modern football.

regardless, i would always prefer a 100% modded retro PES, with faces, boots, stadiums and emblems over "just" option file work. retro PES with mods fitting the time (or even older!) it is for me.
 
Use team-mate pressure alot, to press the guy on the ball, then you just manually mark the guy who is making a run. For attack, use close control a lot, don't sprint unless you have a fast player and space. And don't shoot with guys close to you, as anytime an opponent slides near you when you shoot, you'll miss. You can score many different ways, whatever suits your style. Fast winger, cross to big target man. Long shots with guys with good shooting, or through balls to fast strikers. Formation and using the arrows for player movement matters too, again whatever suits the way you are best at playing.
i'll try it as soon as i can. thank you very much !!!
 
I'd like to ask a question out of curiosity. This is a topic that used to spark intense debates during tournaments among friends at the old LAN houses here in Brazil. Back then, in the mid-2000s, internet access was still quite limited, and there wasn't much information available.

Because of that, I've always wondered: what do Winning Eleven and Pro Evolution Soccer fans around the world think about this?

So here's my question:
What do you prefer to play? :THINK:

Patches/Mods:
They offer impressive visual improvements, such as full licensing, new kits, stadiums, menus, and many other enhancements. However, they often end up changing the game's original identity by modifying leagues, player ratings (overall), squads, gameplay, and many other aspects.

100% Original Game with only an Option File: This preserves the original experience, limiting changes to corrected player names, kits, badges, logos, and team names without altering the game's core structure.

The central point of this discussion is determining how much of the authentic experience envisioned by the developers is actually being preserved. Many editing teams create patches that go far beyond fixing licenses, fundamentally transforming the game. Some of these projects even become extremely popular and are indirectly commercialized.

I remember that whenever my friends and I organized tournaments—especially the more competitive ones—patches were often not allowed. The reasoning was simple: to ensure everyone played the exact same version of the game, preserving the original experience and preventing any modifications that could affect competitive balance.

After thinking deeply about this topic over the years, I've developed what could honestly be described as an obsession with this choice.

Yes, I like patches and mods. I can't deny that I admire the talent, creativity, and incredible work of the modding community. However, I no longer feel comfortable when the game's original structure is drastically altered.

Take Winning Eleven 10 as an example. The game was designed to represent the 2005–06 season. That's why it's perfectly natural to see players like Shunsuke Nakamura playing for both the Japanese national team and Celtic. The entire game—its squads, player ratings, atmosphere, balance, and overall design—was built around that specific period.

With that in mind, I don't see much logic in controlling players like Lamine Yamal within that same game, considering that he hadn't even been born at the time. That kind of time inconsistency breaks the historical identity of the game.

In my opinion, today's football stars make much more sense in modern titles like eFootball or EA Sports FC 27, which were specifically created to represent contemporary football. The classic Winning Eleven/PES games, on the other hand, derive much of their value from preserving a particular era of football history, allowing players to relive that period as authentically as possible.
if you talk about the first 2 games generations, (psx1 and psx2 era), I always prefered original version by konami, with patches that only fixed Names and originals kits also for not licensed squads, and translation on WE J version, mantaining konami vanilla game.
 
I'd like to ask a question out of curiosity. This is a topic that used to spark intense debates during tournaments among friends at the old LAN houses here in Brazil. Back then, in the mid-2000s, internet access was still quite limited, and there wasn't much information available.

Because of that, I've always wondered: what do Winning Eleven and Pro Evolution Soccer fans around the world think about this?

So here's my question:
What do you prefer to play? :THINK:

Patches/Mods:
They offer impressive visual improvements, such as full licensing, new kits, stadiums, menus, and many other enhancements. However, they often end up changing the game's original identity by modifying leagues, player ratings (overall), squads, gameplay, and many other aspects.

100% Original Game with only an Option File: This preserves the original experience, limiting changes to corrected player names, kits, badges, logos, and team names without altering the game's core structure.

The central point of this discussion is determining how much of the authentic experience envisioned by the developers is actually being preserved. Many editing teams create patches that go far beyond fixing licenses, fundamentally transforming the game. Some of these projects even become extremely popular and are indirectly commercialized.

I remember that whenever my friends and I organized tournaments—especially the more competitive ones—patches were often not allowed. The reasoning was simple: to ensure everyone played the exact same version of the game, preserving the original experience and preventing any modifications that could affect competitive balance.

After thinking deeply about this topic over the years, I've developed what could honestly be described as an obsession with this choice.

Yes, I like patches and mods. I can't deny that I admire the talent, creativity, and incredible work of the modding community. However, I no longer feel comfortable when the game's original structure is drastically altered.

Take Winning Eleven 10 as an example. The game was designed to represent the 2005–06 season. That's why it's perfectly natural to see players like Shunsuke Nakamura playing for both the Japanese national team and Celtic. The entire game—its squads, player ratings, atmosphere, balance, and overall design—was built around that specific period.

With that in mind, I don't see much logic in controlling players like Lamine Yamal within that same game, considering that he hadn't even been born at the time. That kind of time inconsistency breaks the historical identity of the game.

In my opinion, today's football stars make much more sense in modern titles like eFootball or EA Sports FC 27, which were specifically created to represent contemporary football. The classic Winning Eleven/PES games, on the other hand, derive much of their value from preserving a particular era of football history, allowing players to relive that period as authentically as possible.
I'm mixed. I feel exactly what you mean about the modern game patched to a PES 5/6. The game has changed a lot since then, in rules, in tactics, in the players themselves.

On the other side, many would like to play with these modern player & teams, but don't have the means to play PES 2021 etc. The game supports these modern day patches well enough.

In the end, it's up to the modder what they want to create, and up to the player to choose what works for them
 
I think my favourite is engines x seasons.

I’d prefer to play eg the PES 2008 engine and the 2008 season as the engine is excellent and the season holds nostalgia and meaning. My favourite method is an in-between of the @jackallan complete overhaul and @Juventino32 option file methods. I currently use the OF then mod the league logos, trophies and replay graphic (I particularly like geeeeee’s Sky Sports graphic) but leave the pitch colourings.

Second best, is using an excellent engine and editing to a different (ie the work of @Fenomeno9 ) or modern (ie the work of @geeeeee ) season.

The worst, IMO, is using a terrible engine (eg EFootball) and putting in an memorable season. This is a crime 😉.
 
I'm mixed. I feel exactly what you mean about the modern game patched to a PES 5/6. The game has changed a lot since then, in rules, in tactics, in the players themselves.

Good point. Although the inverted fullbacks from PES5 inspired the tactic of today!
 
I'd like to ask a question out of curiosity. This is a topic that used to spark intense debates during tournaments among friends at the old LAN houses here in Brazil. Back then, in the mid-2000s, internet access was still quite limited, and there wasn't much information available.

Because of that, I've always wondered: what do Winning Eleven and Pro Evolution Soccer fans around the world think about this?

So here's my question:
What do you prefer to play? :THINK:

Patches/Mods:
They offer impressive visual improvements, such as full licensing, new kits, stadiums, menus, and many other enhancements. However, they often end up changing the game's original identity by modifying leagues, player ratings (overall), squads, gameplay, and many other aspects.

100% Original Game with only an Option File: This preserves the original experience, limiting changes to corrected player names, kits, badges, logos, and team names without altering the game's core structure.

The central point of this discussion is determining how much of the authentic experience envisioned by the developers is actually being preserved. Many editing teams create patches that go far beyond fixing licenses, fundamentally transforming the game. Some of these projects even become extremely popular and are indirectly commercialized.

I remember that whenever my friends and I organized tournaments—especially the more competitive ones—patches were often not allowed. The reasoning was simple: to ensure everyone played the exact same version of the game, preserving the original experience and preventing any modifications that could affect competitive balance.

After thinking deeply about this topic over the years, I've developed what could honestly be described as an obsession with this choice.

Yes, I like patches and mods. I can't deny that I admire the talent, creativity, and incredible work of the modding community. However, I no longer feel comfortable when the game's original structure is drastically altered.

Take Winning Eleven 10 as an example. The game was designed to represent the 2005–06 season. That's why it's perfectly natural to see players like Shunsuke Nakamura playing for both the Japanese national team and Celtic. The entire game—its squads, player ratings, atmosphere, balance, and overall design—was built around that specific period.

With that in mind, I don't see much logic in controlling players like Lamine Yamal within that same game, considering that he hadn't even been born at the time. That kind of time inconsistency breaks the historical identity of the game.

In my opinion, today's football stars make much more sense in modern titles like eFootball or EA Sports FC 27, which were specifically created to represent contemporary football. The classic Winning Eleven/PES games, on the other hand, derive much of their value from preserving a particular era of football history, allowing players to relive that period as authentically as possible.
Always modded. Even if I keep my WE10 at original season, playing without licensed kits feels like shit, option file kits are never adequate. Stock turfs are horrible, stock adboards make the game looking as warm and exciting as a Soviet apartment block

I'm not a fan of adding too much "real" graphics like broadcaster logos (Sky Sports logo in a J-League game feels stupid tbh)
 
I think it’s genuinely bizarre to see things like full tattoo sleeves modded to PES 6 and earlier games. Great work and great attention to detail, but not really for me.

It’s like the 1999 patch in PES 21 — really, really impressive work, but it feels wrong playing a retro season like that in full HD with all the modern bells and whistles.
 
I'd like to ask a question out of curiosity. This is a topic that used to spark intense debates during tournaments among friends at the old LAN houses here in Brazil. Back then, in the mid-2000s, internet access was still quite limited, and there wasn't much information available.

Because of that, I've always wondered: what do Winning Eleven and Pro Evolution Soccer fans around the world think about this?

So here's my question:
What do you prefer to play? :THINK:

Patches/Mods:
They offer impressive visual improvements, such as full licensing, new kits, stadiums, menus, and many other enhancements. However, they often end up changing the game's original identity by modifying leagues, player ratings (overall), squads, gameplay, and many other aspects.

100% Original Game with only an Option File: This preserves the original experience, limiting changes to corrected player names, kits, badges, logos, and team names without altering the game's core structure.

The central point of this discussion is determining how much of the authentic experience envisioned by the developers is actually being preserved. Many editing teams create patches that go far beyond fixing licenses, fundamentally transforming the game. Some of these projects even become extremely popular and are indirectly commercialized.

I remember that whenever my friends and I organized tournaments—especially the more competitive ones—patches were often not allowed. The reasoning was simple: to ensure everyone played the exact same version of the game, preserving the original experience and preventing any modifications that could affect competitive balance.

After thinking deeply about this topic over the years, I've developed what could honestly be described as an obsession with this choice.

Yes, I like patches and mods. I can't deny that I admire the talent, creativity, and incredible work of the modding community. However, I no longer feel comfortable when the game's original structure is drastically altered.

Take Winning Eleven 10 as an example. The game was designed to represent the 2005–06 season. That's why it's perfectly natural to see players like Shunsuke Nakamura playing for both the Japanese national team and Celtic. The entire game—its squads, player ratings, atmosphere, balance, and overall design—was built around that specific period.

With that in mind, I don't see much logic in controlling players like Lamine Yamal within that same game, considering that he hadn't even been born at the time. That kind of time inconsistency breaks the historical identity of the game.

In my opinion, today's football stars make much more sense in modern titles like eFootball or EA Sports FC 27, which were specifically created to represent contemporary football. The classic Winning Eleven/PES games, on the other hand, derive much of their value from preserving a particular era of football history, allowing players to relive that period as authentically as possible.
If we talk Ps2 titles, I prefer the original thing as it is, and I've always thought of them as complete thing as they were. If we take Pes 4-5-6 and (most of) their japanese counterparts, the "pajamas" where the licenses weren't present were usually very faithful to the real shirts, so immersion was still there in both Premier and Bundes to me, and players editor in both options and hair/face/body types was so varied and flexible you could correct things on their own anyway. It's like it worked as a complete ecosystem on his own.

Besides, at the times Master League was still an heavy fantasy mode. It's not like in more modern times, where Pes tried to match ML with real tournaments; as an effect, I don't have this great drive to see modern players and teams in it, although I'm not particularly opposed to it either.

That said, I find classic seasons more apt for patches of that era, and I also like general "all star" ones. But if I had to take one, yes, the vanilla thing absolutely wins for me.

(p.s. I don't believe current FC was created to represent contemporary football, anyway :P )
 
My friend, since you're planning to add the kit textures, I'd like to make a few brief observations, if you don't mind.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2_SLES-51114_20260731191530.png
In this case, the logo is overlapping with the shorts number.
Ideally, either the logo or the number should be removed. Based on the reference shown here, they didn't use.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2_SLES-51114_20260731191731.png
The squad number is white. Therefore, the shorts texture should be black.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2_SLES-51114_20260731191604.png
Ideally, the UCL patch shouldn't be used.

I don't think it makes much sense because the Master League features a fictional setting that includes clubs from other South American countries. If it were an exclusively European competition, however, then it would be a great addition—especially if it also included authentic advertising boards and other UEFA Champions League presentation elements.

These are just my suggestions, with the intention of making the game as good as possible.
Everything that is added should be carefully evaluated in-game. There are also many national team kits that still need to be reviewed and refined.

P.S.: If you'd like, I'd be happy to help. It would truly be my pleasure.

And if I've come across as overly critical, I sincerely apologize. Yes, yes, and yes—I know my perfectionism can sometimes seem excessive, even to the point of being obsessive. :LOL:
I genuinely mean well. My only goal is to make this project the best it can possibly be. I truly believe that, by giving our very best, we can continue improving it.
 
@niceplay89 PES 2 is probably the one i'm most interested as there's not a single patch on it just O.F. : so very restricted emblems, models are ok but it doesn't allow to import brand and sponsor on the O.F. etc., it's fantastic what you're doing bro! But edit when you want, if you're happy to do it everyday it's normal to work on it, but as i always said : take your time for not being disgusted to edit on that version.
Otherwhise i got also PES 3 and 4 on PS2 with no patchs, but i own it on PC. Even if i play more on others version (prefers WE7 and WE7I Jap, i own at least one with all kits for all team. And i don't play PES 4 at all, but sometimes WE8LE were i play with a patch on it.

So the only one very different from his first version from japan and his last version like PES 2 : it's really interesting. For PES1 i'd prefers to play WE5FE where someone made kits and some changes not so long ago, and that version is really most complete as PES1. So i only play WE5FE... If you understand PES 2 is the true "unique" version (too different from WE6FE) i don't own a version with real kits mods (and you took awesome texture for grass and keep the same "green" as the ones you posted. They seems totally okay and not the fluo version or green too dark i got in some patch from every available version i downloaded.

Very good, friend.
I just hope you keep the color aspect preserved from the original. Many editors use ultra-saturated grass (I don’t know what they do, everything ends up saturated). Personally, I find it bad.
I adjust these details myself in the Nvidia Control Panel and in the emulator’s own settings. For me, it looks excellent!

Another tip, or request:
Keep the Konami advertising boards. It’s more coherent than having the Champions League in the Master League, especially since there are South American teams present.

Note: On the previous page I posted WE 5. An ISO that contains all the kits. I don’t know if you intend to work on that, but it might be interesting.
It was on old patch, when we played on modded PS2 essentially, it's less common on PES 2014 with 23/24 to 25/26 season. But yeah i've made a patch for WE9, and i took all graphisms except that it created already club for the next season, so almost 10-12 kits from a patch who made the same lol but for WE8LE : so the kits where available. In fact there's no graphical patch like the one i've done : i did it because every single patch got numbers colors only on black or white, or the first kit got a blue number and the patcher left it for the whole kits on the team (and it caused blue on blue etc.)

Didn't released it as from my standard i'm not satisfy like no teams created over PES/WE Utd and i tried to correct faces for all players (especially in PL / Some where a total mess like blonde hair and blue eyes for a player with curly hair black, eyes black and a 2 weeks beard. And i wanted also not to modify stadiums but put grass by default as it was a bit satured/green for me. I wanted to put the basic/original pitch instead; Now it doesn't bother me if someone want at least the only version without kits erros you can find. But i won't work on it anymore. I don't play ML on it so i don't really care about PES/WE utd clubs.
 
Also to answer to your question : i've always since WE6FE took patch with kits and some mod around the pitch, and often it's on already updated version from Konami (like every WE except JLWE9AC which got teams from end august. Now when i got a PS2 version 20 years ago. For PES 2 / I did transfers myself but only for the teams choosen (we 8 to very max 10 every sunday on the start) so i created players and transfers from that one, PES 3 and 4 and there was a very big and supeb O.F. with every players modded for PES 5, i don't remember the name i don't remember the name (but he isn't on any pack somoeone shared) it was a very worked and reworked, a big file totally complete.

That was the only one with PES1 we didn't get or know that WE5fe existed. But mostly, PES was the version we played less : for example it was PES2 from october to next year to end october (just the time to create transfers and finish the league from the Jap version, so no more than 3 months and 2 weeks around) and the rest of the year we played Winning Eleven translated and patched, no need to made transfers as they were done on those versions ;) but since PES 2011, i tooked O.F. and rectified some players stats made with "Verter" for created league depending on height and weight as that converter got very wrong formulas for some stats like Balance and Jumping Power, they got a very different meaning and effect in PES than in FM)
 
My friend, since you're planning to add the kit textures, I'd like to make a few brief observations, if you don't mind.

In this case, the logo is overlapping with the shorts number.
Ideally, either the logo or the number should be removed. Based on the reference shown here, they didn't use.

The squad number is white. Therefore, the shorts texture should be black.

Ideally, the UCL patch shouldn't be used.

I don't think it makes much sense because the Master League features a fictional setting that includes clubs from other South American countries. If it were an exclusively European competition, however, then it would be a great addition—especially if it also included authentic advertising boards and other UEFA Champions League presentation elements.

These are just my suggestions, with the intention of making the game as good as possible.
Everything that is added should be carefully evaluated in-game. There are also many national team kits that still need to be reviewed and refined.

P.S.: If you'd like, I'd be happy to help. It would truly be my pleasure.

And if I've come across as overly critical, I sincerely apologize. Yes, yes, and yes—I know my perfectionism can sometimes seem excessive, even to the point of being obsessive. :LOL:
I genuinely mean well. My only goal is to make this project the best it can possibly be. I truly believe that, by giving our very best, we can continue improving it.


Mate, thank you for your observations. I already fix those issues, no Champions league patches, and I fixed the logo appearing on numbers by mistake. :BEER:

It's a lot of work to make everything perfect because it's a 25 year old game, and there isn't a single patch available for it.
No kits, no logos, no stadium pitches, nothing. It's like this game doesn't even exist.

Just for the logos, I had to replace more than 200 textures, and every texture has a different size and shape depending on the game mode. Each one has to be edited in several different programs to make it work properly in the game, and that's just the logos.

Then there are another 200+ textures for the national flags, which aren't even finished yet.

After that come the kits (both in-game and in the kit preview), improved and clearer fonts across all game modes to make the game look cleaner and sharper, the stadium pitches, which are probably the hardest part because finding the right color that looks good to everyone is almost impossible, and then there's the ball and a lot of others things too...and it literally never ends. :DOH:

It looks easy and simple when you see it on the pictures, but behind the scene it is very time consuming.

But, I am a huge fan of ISS/PES/WE since I was a little kid, so in the end, it makes me happy and that's why all the work. :D
 
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@niceplay89 i wasn't talking about your patch when i said that numbers where messed up with the kits, but WE9 others patch, and i also corrected it by assigning all new logos i used on my PES5 OF (if you put a basic logo in those version : it will "enlarge" the logo, even in NTSC without black border, for some PES you got the choice to change it : otherwise in PES1 and 2 : they rearranged the size for not having that issue on 50hz.
I didn't see your PES 2 Patch and i won't said anything before it's released : when it's in building, it's totally normal that when you show state of advancement everything isn't done yet (like the number position on club that was mentionned for leverkusen, but he said it with a good intention, to help you ;) ).

But i said that before discovering JLWE2008 and WE2008, WE9 was part of my 2 favourites version, so i wanted to rectify a bit.... But i got to re-do litterally everything lol. There's an O.F. for the patch where i corrected almost all important faces from PL + some clubs here and there (fakes are of course correct), also removed every real faces assigned to some players as i don't like it (i didn't know how to copy/paste players directly on the database so...). And believe me, i know how exhausting it is to manually, change every kits textures especially every single number for the 4 kits including the GK. I suppose that it's almost the same amount of club to edit regarding how many where licenced on WE9 (20-18 teams in PL i don't really remember if 2 teams were licenced) + almost 15 teams in Others clubs and Nations. One by one. And sometimes it didn't worked for a very small reason... Yeah it's exhausting bro to edit a full database clubs licences.

That's why i said to you "dont try to finish it asap, take your time, don't work everyday if you're starting to got enough of it and/or being tired". I did it non stop and got the best WE9 patch without errors you may found. I will share in on the week as ATM i am very tired and need to rest at lest until Tuesday. Then i will upload it for some who likes the game.
Now to rimport original pitch picture it's simple with GGS, but i'm good with it and won't work anymore on that project, but anyone could modify the patch without asking me, i don't care. Just that if you post in on YT said my name for kits and faces. Ah yes i reintroduced some 3 or 4 important faces over ones who weren't in the game or i took one from WE-Shop and modified him "Castroma face > Messi face" and "Castroman player > redone for Boca Jr as Palermo manually or something like that)
 
niceplay89, your project is looking truly impressive. The logos are excellent and clearly reflect a remarkable level of care and attention to the visual identity.

I believe it would be essential to create a dedicated thread to keep the entire project organized in one place. That way, all updates, images, discussions, and information would remain centralized and easy to follow.

In this thread, as more pages are added over time, much of the content will inevitably get buried, making it difficult for newcomers and followers alike to keep track of the project's progress.
 
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