Winning Eleven 10 details

By Tom Bramwell Published 23 March, 2006

Out sooner than you'd think.

This year's Winning Eleven is coming out a bit earlier than usual, Konami's announced, so that everyone will have it in time for the World Cup.

Reports based on a Famitsu preview and an unveiling event earlier today also identify some of the changes fans of the series - known as Pro Evolution Soccer in the west - can expect from the game, which is being released on PS2 in Japan on 27th April.

Player animation is a big deal, as ever, we're told - with shooting animations in particular coming in for close scrutiny by the development team.

According to reports on the Famitsu piece, producer Seabass and his team are also introducing a Simple Setting, which automates things like formations and substitutions - which should be enormously useful for those without the time or patience to learn the subtleties of Winning Eleven's hugely complex and versatile stat system. There's also talk of simplifying passing, shooting and through balls.

Apparently the refs have been reined in a bit too, and won't give so many free-kicks - something that annoyed people when initially adapting to last year's versions, which made it much harder to gain possession just by pressing forcefully.

Most of the other changes mentioned are to do with game modes - Master League, for example, will now allow you to select whether you want players to age or not. There will also be a new International Challenge mode, where you get to take part in regional qualifying for a World Cup of sorts.

Speaking of which, the amount of licensing has gone up - apparently the English, Italian, Dutch, Spanish and Argentinean national teams are now licensed.

On top of that there'll be a Random Selection Match, allowing you play as teams comprised entirely of randomly selected players - which is good news for those of you who play random teams during lunchtime or after the pub, anyway.

Finally, there's talk of a quick start feature that lets you skip through all the pre-match hoo-hah by pressing L1 and R1 together when prompted.

Expect much of this information to be clarified by Konami when it inevitably unveils Pro Evolution Soccer 6, which should also be released on a much wider range of formats than Winning Eleven usually is; expect PES6 to appear on PS2, PC, Xbox 360, PSP and perhaps others sometime later this year.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (33) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • OnlyMe #1 6 years ago

    :o

    Do we need this? Already?
    Edited by 1 at 23/03/06 @ 13:29

  • TheMoonRat #2 6 years ago

    Can they fix the goddam totally random shooting please? Was annoying in PES4, but so unbearable in PES5 that I havent played it for months and will not either.

  • dsmx #3 6 years ago

    the shooting isn't random in PES it goes where you put the direction on the analogue stick or d pad.

  • snick #4 6 years ago

    Yes, we need it on 360 NOW

  • Kosumo #5 6 years ago

    "Yes, we need it on 360 NOW"

    He's right you know.

  • mcmonkeyplc #6 6 years ago

    360 NOW!

  • micky-who? #7 6 years ago

    A demo would be good on 360!
    Atleast to tide us over

  • Tomo #8 6 years ago

    Hmm... I'm a bit skeptical about the updates here.

    I'd agree the passing could do with tightening - too often the computer mistakes who you mean to pass too. Also, you can't pass two players along - only to the nearest and furthest. Maybe a tapping system per player you want to pass to?

    I think the shooting is sound as it is really, can't see what they'd do to change it.

    Fouling... I think is spot on in PES5. Just like most football matches, the ref blows instantly whenever there is the slightest hint of a dive! ;]

    But, they've yet to let me down.

    /gets excited.

  • Blerk #9 6 years ago

    I can't wait for Winning Eleven 11!

  • Ace_McCloud #10 6 years ago

    So are konami finally gonna give us some serious graphics when Pro Evo hits the 360 or just a high res xbox version? ... They'd better be some serious graphics or they'll be serious trouble/whining!!!

  • Furbs #11 6 years ago

    I assume there will be as much criticism of Konami as there will be of the purveyors of that "other game"?

    But yeah, a 360 version before the World Cup would be nice :)

  • malteaserhead #12 6 years ago

    I think the series has pretty much done nothing new in years.
    Still looking forward to the 360 version though.
    five-a-side online would be great :)

  • Bumbuliuz #13 6 years ago

    Im just hoping that Pro Evo 6 for the 360 will have some sweet grapichs ;)

  • ecureuil #14 6 years ago

    It's out early because it's a World Cup year. No-one would buy it if it was released AFTER the world cup. So yes, we need it already.

    Random shooting? Not sure what you're talking about. Shooting is better than ever, they've really perfected it.

    The players should be licensed - Pro Evo Soccer Management has fully licensed players, but not kits. There are screenshots going around of what appears to be a licensed Man Utd kit in the game, but there have been reports that this was simply made through the editor, and is not an actual, licensed Man Utd kit.

  • Mildew #15 6 years ago

    And no goal celebrations involving players humping the turf!

  • asha #16 6 years ago

    They also confirmed a DS version a few weeks ago.

  • TheMoonRat #17 6 years ago

    Shooting doesn't go where you ask it... get in front of goal and tap shoot in the exact same situation; can go from dribbling weakly to the goalie on the ground to be being blasted sky high over the ball. Thats a HUGE range of difference for doing identicle things in identicle positions with identicle players. That kind of variety is all over the shooting department. Yeah of course there has to be some degree in change in where the shots go, they cant all goto the same point each and every time; but such _massive_ variety on identicle plays? Sometimes realism doesnt equal fun. Can't wait for sensi soccer

  • ecureuil #18 6 years ago

    Sensible Soccer will be NOTHING on Winning Eleven..

    Man, the game was great back in the day, and it will probably be a decent nostalgia trip, but anyone that thinks it will be better, or a long term replacement for WE is seriously deluded.

  • Tweakmonkey #19 6 years ago

    MoonRat - I can appreciate how it appears random but it really isn't like how you describe. There is a power bar, and the player's balance, body shape and position and the presence of defenders all affect what happens. If you know what you're doing you will score.

    About the changes though. I'm a bit dubious about changing the gameplay and making things "easier". Good to see more animations and licenses though.

  • Kosumo #20 6 years ago

    "I can't wait for Winning Eleven 11!"

    W1nn1ng 11 11?

  • siro #21 6 years ago

    No xbox version coming? :/

  • ecureuil #22 6 years ago

    No-one in Japan give a damn about the Xbox. There has never been an Xbox Winning Eleven in Japan.

  • TheMoonRat #23 6 years ago

    Tweak: I ran pes4online for a year so played that game to death; pes5 however i just cannot play. The other aspects of it i prefer; the pass, passing, goalkeepers etc. But when online games (how i prefer playing) are often between 2 close competitors; the amount of times its been decided by team A winning via a huge 30 yarder yet team B's world class strikers missed a few 1 on 1s with the keeper not even hitting the target is ridiculous. Yeah it goes for you and goes agaisnt you... but the way i started to feel was that when I lost i felt injustice for the aweful shooting; yet when I won I looked back at opponents shots and they had just the same randomness of strikers as I'd had.

    Meh

  • Feanor #24 6 years ago

    "Apparently the refs have been reined in a bit too, and won't give so many free-kicks - something that annoyed people when initially adapting to last year's versions, which made it much harder to gain possession just by pressing forcefully."

    This misses the point entriely. Even when you don't use X or SQUARE to press, the referee still gives out way too many free kicks. Or perhaps it's fairer to say all players are too agressive, and fall down far too easily. And it's not just something that happens when you first get the game and try and press with both buttons held down. The amount of times the computer players kick me in the back of the legs when I have clear possession in my own half is frankly ridiculous. It's also ridiculous how often computer defenders fall over and get awarded free kicks when I try to run past them - even without holding R1 for sprint.

  • Tweakmonkey #25 6 years ago

    @MoonRat
    What you've described is a mixture of luck and skill. There is always some luck in the game, but that has always been the case because it's a simulator and they model many different variables for every single action of the game. The skill comes in knowing what to do in each situation and a good player should always hit the target in a 1 on 1. Shooting is most definitely a skill. Long range shots have a pretty low probability of being on target unless it's a special player and they use the nudge technique. I hope that you will play more and learn to enjoy the game. Perhaps PES4 was not a good reflection of a typical PES game...

  • El_MUERkO #26 6 years ago

    yes, yes we need this, hopefully it'll correct some of the flaws of PES5 and be true to the pattern of every second game being uber

  • Futaba #27 6 years ago

    The shootings fine. Tweakmonkey is pretty much right with his comment. If you hold the d-pad/analogue stick upwards when you shoot it chips it gently into the keepers hands for some reason... My friend does this sometimes then moans about the game a lot >.>

    But 6? Already? I've only just perfected my PES5 team! ;_;

    One more thing, they need to invent a quick free kick system >:

  • Trowel #28 6 years ago

    Some managed to master shooting pretty well...

  • Stu #29 6 years ago

    There are more urgent concerns than a switch deciding whether or not players age in ML...

  • lfcwhitey #30 6 years ago

    I can't wait for this! With the added liscenses and teams it looks like its going to be another great game from Konami! There are screenshots over at a certain Pro Evo fansite (incase I'm not allowed to post the link), and they look great

  • ClassicD #31 6 years ago

    The L1+R1 thing is for quick free-kicks during the game, not skipping menus before it.

    New licenses for:

    England
    Italy
    Holland
    Argentina
    Spain
    Sweden
    Australia
    Bayern Munich

    Santiago Bernabeu stadium included (home of Real Madrid).

    For up to date info visit the Winning Eleven 10 thread on the Evo-Web forums. Constantly updated by folk obsessed by Winning Eleven/Pro Evo, there's even a few movies of the game in action ;).

    Edited by 2 at 27/03/06 @ 14:11

  • ekko #32 6 years ago

    Surely it would be called Drawing Eleven - 11?

  • gigoldz #33 6 years ago

    I need help, i ordered this game but i dont know if it will work on my ps2, does anyone know if its an import and if it will work please??