Why PES was renamed and how the community got it all wrong.

SneakersDK

Non-League
14 February 2021
The short answer to the first question is. The vision was not to make a new PES game. The second question needs much more explanation.

Let's first talk about the first-hand impression and how that played a big role. How big you may ask. Well, watch this. And then let's dive down into the branding of the game. You might find something that will be an aha moment.


So, the first thing we saw from this new PES game was this one. with the title *Taking PES to a new level* Made on Unreal Engine and photorealistic graphics! First-Hand impression = Very good. Please read some of the comments. 28.483 likes. So we got this and a season update instead of a new PES game.


The silence and then we got the Official Reveal Trailer Graphicly it was not in any way close to what we saw as a half year before. with photorealistic graphics. No one did understand what they saw. Was it the Mobile version? Was it the PC version? What was it? We kinda forget to listen to what they said in the trailer. So what did they say, and was there a hint, to what to come?
Back to the first question and answer. There are some of the things they say in the trailer that was the vision Konami had about the game.

*The new normal with the same undying passion, better yet with a new level of passion. This is what eFootbal is all about*

*There is one overriding question creating the greatest head-to-head experience is our ultimate goal. But how would the game need to evolve for us to achieve this? The answer is simple from the bottom up*

*The one-on-one the very mantra of eFootball*

*Realistic player movements and responses are both crucial ingredients in creating our new one-on-one system. Motion matching involves creating a massive range of new animations, showing just how players react differently depending on factors such as running speed and ball position. These animations are then cut and perfectly matched to each in-game situation recreating every moment down to a tee and the results have been staggering. We have created a one-on-one system that is incredibly thrilling and most importantly realistic*


Their mission and vision were to make a football simulation game! And we did not get that. I did not until I played the release version and the later version. Many also have an issue with the crossplay with mobile. and accuse that the game has been downgraded the game to fit mobile. No one knows for sure if that would happen, but Fortnite has just been updated with crossplay on all platforms. Its one of the things Epic has worked a lot on for a handful of years.

Then we got the Official gameplay trailer, Please rewatch it and read all the text, and analyze with the "knowledge you got from this post. And see how it screams Football simulation. And not PES, which also makes sense why they changed the name to eFootball ;) I wonder how people would think of the name and game design if it was, I don't know, a Ubisoft game or whatever. But we thought that we would get a new PES game. Some still think that.


Back to PES, Back to the arcade gameplay. efootball is dead for good.

Now we have come to the reason why I'm doing this post, why I think it was important to take my time to write it. In a few days Version one will come and efootball the development team's vision is dead. The gameplay will be just like PES. And we have missed what effotball could have been. And that hurts me a lot.
Then I think about the whole PES/efootball story a video comes into my mind, about how Call of duty has become standard for FPS games.

If you compare the game speed in eFootball with FIFA 19. The speed looks very similar don't you think?


So Konami simulation vision is dead now. People wanted the controls to be mere responsive, But that is the opposite to simulation. In the real world, a player can not make a pass instantly, he first has to get the ball to the right foot, he has to adjust his feeds to the ball, and also make sure to keep the balance and that was one of the tings Konami wanted in the game. Made possible with the matchmaking system. with means AI improvising animations in a smooth way. Looking at the version one gameplay that system is gone or toned much down.

The same with the one-on-one. And it's no longer a factor Because now the animations are too fast that it is impossible to react because the anticipation is no longer there, and the same with the dual cam, it may have been to good use, when or if it was improved
And with that, the skill gap and realism are now smaller. As the passing speed no longer has an impact on how the player will control the ball. It will be one touch and control like the ball is glued to the feet. Like in FIFA. The release version of eFootball was a bit like a cheese game you needed to read the game faster than your opponent, otherwise, you were in big trouble. You had to look at the next pass possibility while the ball was on its way to the next player. like you would do, but now that you know your player has full control then your player receives the ball it's much easier to keep the ball and buy time for the next pass. In the real world the best team often wins because the players read the game faster. That will also be toned down in Varsion 1 like it is in PES.
So from what I see, the eFootball game design has been rewound to PES. And in my opinion, it's a huge mistake, but we only have ourselves to blame.
Lastly, let's take a look at the release version, end please tell me, does it really look so bad as you remember it to be? Pay attention to the smooth animations, and constantly small touches on the ball how a player turns around in realistic to me, it's the most beautiful I have ever seen in a football game.


Here are V1 gameplay, pay attention to control at first touch. how fas the animations now is, and more stutter in the animation, and more sliding and other not realistic movements.


To prove my points. FIFA seems to get fatter from game to game. And now look that FIFA 22 gameplay see how awful the animations is, how they sometimes float and slide, and how the legs can switch position in an instant

 
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I accept most of the things what you said, but I have to disagree with the pace. When I played the 0.9 version in September, I didn't feel a realistic game. The players were very slow, and the overall game just felt too long with that speed. The player speed differences were not even existed. The cinematic changes are very good, but it should load in time, and do not give us very low-res textures for a massive second. The whole game is pixelated in ver 0.9. I have to say, i'm excited to play the version 1.0 because I have to compare with the "old.ver" to see clearer.
 
I accept most of the things what you said, but I have to disagree with the pace. When I played the 0.9 version in September, I didn't feel a realistic game. The players were very slow, and the overall game just felt too long with that speed. The player speed differences were not even existed. The cinematic changes are very good, but it should load in time, and do not give us very low-res textures for a massive second. The whole game is pixelated in ver 0.9. I have to say, i'm excited to play the version 1.0 because I have to compare with the "old.ver" to see clearer.
Thanks for your reply.

I will argue that the pace in 0.9 is not slow, but you are used to playing a game that is faster. And of the reason why it feels slow is that the players without the ball, are not making the runs that they should. But individual player animations have a perfect speed. You can actually see all the moves the player makes.

I agree on the cinematics are good. And the graphics overall are better and will be even better when they start using metahuman, and UE5. Is only the gameplay I'm worried about. I really don't want the pace to be faster. And it looks like version 1 has the same pace as FIFA 19. Like a say, responsive control and simulation are opposite to each other.
 
I have similar feelings to you in a few regards, mostly that there were definitely talented people involved specifically in the game play of eFootball that wanted to go more into the simulation route, which I'm all for. I disagree with most of your post's core ideas though, especially that Konami somehow lost their simulation vision, and we're at fault. I don't think Konami, as a company, had this simulation vision at all, we know how Konami has been operated in the last decade, they're all about maximizing profits and almost nothing else, Konami is definitely responsible for the business model in eFootball, the F2P and all where they can make a lot of money from micro transactions, however the simulation game play doesn't feel like something Konami themselves would want to go for, the higher ups, to me that just feels like the work of developers who wanted to do things this way, the actual creative team behind the development of eFootball. I also don't like to put responsibility on the community for us somehow losing the opportunity of getting a good simulation, because eFootball wasn't universally panned in its initial trailers, and especially in its launch, due to it being a simulation, the negativity came from the business model which would naturally make people suspicious of its nature, and also, of course, the fact that it was released in an unfinished, downright broken state, which is unacceptable, and the natural reaction to this combination of factors led to people bashing it, deservedly. If we really end up getting yet another arcade experience in the long run, if Konami decides to never attempt a simulation again because of the criticism eFootball got in its disastrous launch, the fault won't be ours, it'll be thanks to Konami's higher ups and their marketing team, who sabotaged something which could've been special if the creative team behind it had more control over it.
 
Thanks for your reply.

I will argue that the pace in 0.9 is not slow, but you are used to playing a game that is faster. And of the reason why it feels slow is that the players without the ball, are not making the runs that they should. But individual player animations have a perfect speed. You can actually see all the moves the player makes.

I agree on the cinematics are good. And the graphics overall are better and will be even better when they start using metahuman, and UE5. Is only the gameplay I'm worried about. I really don't want the pace to be faster. And it looks like version 1 has the same pace as FIFA 19. Like a say, responsive control and simulation are opposite to each other.
You've touched upon a few good things, and I'd like to explain my side: The animation speed are good, but the "faster" players (Like Alphonso Davies) feels a lot slower than in real life. I hope that I'll be able to play on 144hz, because it's much more satisfying. They have to work on the net physics. It was better in version 0.9.1 or whatever it's called, but still not on point. If you score, the net physics can make it a lot more expressive, and satisfying. I've just started to download ver 1.0, after a few games I'll leave one more reply.
 
I have similar feelings to you in a few regards, mostly that there were definitely talented people involved specifically in the game play of eFootball that wanted to go more into the simulation route, which I'm all for. I disagree with most of your post's core ideas though, especially that Konami somehow lost their simulation vision, and we're at fault. I don't think Konami, as a company, had this simulation vision at all, we know how Konami has been operated in the last decade, they're all about maximizing profits and almost nothing else, Konami is definitely responsible for the business model in eFootball, the F2P and all where they can make a lot of money from micro transactions, however the simulation game play doesn't feel like something Konami themselves would want to go for, the higher ups, to me that just feels like the work of developers who wanted to do things this way, the actual creative team behind the development of eFootball. I also don't like to put responsibility on the community for us somehow losing the opportunity of getting a good simulation, because eFootball wasn't universally panned in its initial trailers, and especially in its launch, due to it being a simulation, the negativity came from the business model which would naturally make people suspicious of its nature, and also, of course, the fact that it was released in an unfinished, downright broken state, which is unacceptable, and the natural reaction to this combination of factors led to people bashing it, deservedly. If we really end up getting yet another arcade experience in the long run, if Konami decides to never attempt a simulation again because of the criticism eFootball got in its disastrous launch, the fault won't be ours, it'll be thanks to Konami's higher ups and their marketing team, who sabotaged something which could've been special if the creative team behind it had more control over it.
Thanks for your reply

Most of the criticism was that the controls were clunky and not responsive enough. Youtubers and a survey were made, so the community voice would be heard and Komani had said that they listen to the community. And according to Spoony the Winsor build was slower than the 0.9.1

I may have expressed myself indistinctly, I don't blame the community only. Of cause, if we as players did not understand it, it's on Konami. They should have been more clear. On they wanted a Simulation and what that would mean.

Its possible that for Konami its all about microtransactions. But then it would be vice for them not to make a Konami version to FUT with a FIFA gameplay. But the need to stand out and the simulation what the way to do that.

And I agree they should not have released the game in that unfinished state. But that is unfortunately what all big companies do these days. And that did not help us to understand that we were playing a simulator.

Hope I got around all your points.
 
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You've touched upon a few good things, and I'd like to explain my side: The animation speed are good, but the "faster" players (Like Alphonso Davies) feels a lot slower than in real life. I hope that I'll be able to play on 144hz, because it's much more satisfying. They have to work on the net physics. It was better in version 0.9.1 or whatever it's called, but still not on point. If you score, the net physics can make it a lot more expressive, and satisfying. I've just started to download ver 1.0, after a few games I'll leave one more reply.
Thanks for your reply

Now that is a great point, and I could be something they could put into the game later, but I believe they have it now. I was overrun by star players earlier today, with the random dream team.

Better net physics is nice to have, and Im sure it will come down the line. Looking forward to hearing what you think about 1.0. Good luck.
 
To be honest I am actually shocked it took them this long to botch their main football game. I mean Konami has already successfully killed off other succesful titles like the Metal Gear Solid series. For a while now they have been shifting their focus to cheap microtransaction filled mobile games while shutting down production on high budget console/pc games so why would I think PES was off limits regardless of its ever dedicated fanbase. For me its not the why its Efootball and not PES debate but the shady anti-consumer approach to all their games and core fanbase and also their lack of communication wtith the community which is hurting both sides. But hey, what the hell do I know about the intrinsicate ins and outs of business management, marketing and gaming entertainment industry, after all am just a medical student with no business intellect to voice my displeasure and frustration with Konami. Deep down I knew the end to PES was coming but I had hoped that before Konami pulled the destruction button on my beloved PES just like they have already done to my beloved MGS series and countless others, I had hoped and prayed to atleast by now, they would have successfully managed to release and implement fan requested modes/additions and other closer to 'Football Manager Simulator like' quality of life improvements to Master League for us offline managers as a way to send off the PES series in style before it was purged. I won't waste time explaining why it was important to get that part of the game right because that was one of the biggest grinds of Master League 'the missing piece in the jigzaw puzzle of completeness' because Fifa for all it flaws had done it even though it wasn't at Football Manager level but atleast it was way better than what we have in PES 21. But now instead, it is a back and fourth civil war within the Konami football community because some people what the Live Service gaming esport approach while others want the tradition old offline Master League approach of at the end of the day hurts the game and community as a whole. All this I feel could have been avoided had Konami learnt how to communicate well and not decided to raise peoples hopes with a fake trailer and giving off impressions they are making or finally bridging the gap between their football game and Fifa by releasing the ultimate football simulator which was going to kill the fifa series on a brand new engine and hopefully next generation of consoles. With all due respect, I know everyone is entitled to their opinion but personally I feel bitter, anger and a sense betrayal by the whole turn of events regardless of whether Efootball season 1 gameplay improves upon the PES 21 gameplay. Something in me refuses to let go of this betrayal and I feel Konami owes the community one last PES game with complete offline modes and other quality of life improvements before I can forgive them. I like what other publishers have done with their IPs like for example FromSoftware studios with their latest game Elden Ring (a culmination of all the knowledge they have gained from creating all the Souls games and implementing them into one epic next gen game called Elden Ring), why Konami couldn't implement such a continuity in their football game is beyond my now bitter impatient self. especially that they wasted my time for 3yrs waiting for something which now will never be. Anyways, thats just what I feel about this whole thing called Efootball, its a child born out of betrayal and the inner me refuses to accept it!😩
 
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