Konami details eFootball 2022 v1.0 update due next week
"To regain the trust of our esteemed fans."
Konami will attempt to salvage its struggling eFootball 2022 next week with the game's long-awaited v1.0.0 patch - which was originally set to arrive soon after launch last November.
eFootball - the new name for PES - arrived in a disastrous state late last year, despite Konami warning players it would arrive in extremely limited form akin to a demo.
Konami insisted the game would evolve over time, but players have been left waiting months for this v1.0.0 update to arrive. In the meantime, eFootball's mobile spin-off was postponed, and the game's controversial premium player pack was pulled from sale.
"We were too focused on getting the game out on time that we lost sight of the most important thing - quality," Konami said in a blog post today. "Naturally, we were met with critical reviews from rightfully disappointed fans.
"The development team has been hard at work since to regain the trust of our esteemed fans, as well as to make the game even more enjoyable for soccer fans around the world.
"Although it has been 6 months since the initial release last September, we believe we have finally reached a level of quality that we can be confident of. Hence the decision behind the release of v1.0.0."
So, what's in v1.0.0? Konami has moved to a client-side server system to improve online connectivity, reinstated "beloved functionalities" to Game Plan, and implemented its "Dream Team" (formerly Creative Team) feature.
Defending - which Konami says was the game's most common cause of complaint - has been improved. Button settings have been changed and a shoulder charge added, as well as a "Call for Pressure" command for defensive teamwork.
Konami says passing has also been improved, with passes now faster and able to take into account ball rebounding as a force of acceleration. Various passing errors have also been fixed.
Improved shooting speed and better ball tracking while dribbling also feature.
More detail on the update will be revealed once it goes live on 14th April.
Finally, eFootball 2022's mobile version remains delayed - there's no more news on when that will appear.