Konami ‘sorry’ for eFootball 2022 as fans slam Pro Evolution Soccer series relaunch
- New free-to-play version of long running Pro Evolution Soccer series slated as fans report glitches and mock graphics
- User reviews of long-awaited game are overwhelmingly negative – ‘We are sorry for the problems,’ say publishers
Video game publishers Konami have apologised for eFootball 2022 after the launch of the renamed Pro Evolution Soccer title was slated by fans in user reviews and online.
The highly-anticipated game was launched on September 30, a day earlier than the official release date of Fifa 22, the latest edition of the long-running series from rival publishers EA Sports.
Fans were quick to comment on eFootball 2022’s gameplay and the graphics, with many criticising the rendering of star players such as Lionel Messi.
On the Steam250 website, which aggregates reviews from users of the steam download platform, only 8.9 per cent of more than 9,800 reviews were positive. Google said that 36 per cent of user liked the game.
This latest edition of the long running series is the first to be released as free-to-play but fans still had complaints, with many posting glitches online.
The Konami game had been a favourite for Esports competitions, with an earlier edition of the series used for the Esports competition at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.
Fifa 22 slows things down to breathe new life into series
“After the release of eFootball 2022, we have received lots of feedback and requests regarding game balance that includes pass speed and defence operation,” the Japanese video game giants said in a statement on Twitter on Friday.
“We would also like to acknowledge that there have been reports of problems users have experienced with cut-scenes, facial expressions, movements of players, and the behaviour of the ball,” Konami said.
“We are sorry for the problems, and want to assure everyone we will take all concerns seriously and strive to improve the current situation.
“This work will be continuously updated, quality will be improved and content will be added consistently.
Konami said that they will have an update for the game later this month and they are going to seek further feedback.
“From next week onward, we will prepare an update in October, while receiving further opinions through questionairres to our users.
“We will do our utmost to satisfy as many users as possible, and we look forward to your continued support of eFootball 2022,” the statement ended.
Konami took a year out from the series to work on eFootball 2022, with the 2021 edition an update rather than a full game, promising a new experience with the series rebranding.
“Our ambition was to recreate the perfect football environment, from the grass on the pitch, to the players‘ movement, all the way to the crowds in the stadium,” they say on the Konami website.
“To this end, we decided to create a new football engine, with revamped animation system and game controls.
“The final result was even more impressive than we had originally conceived. We had gone beyond the border of PES, into a new realm of virtual football.
To signal this new era, we have decided to part ways with our beloved PES brand and rename it ‘eFootball’!”
