Konami won’t be releasing a full version of PES 2021 this year

Konami has confirmed it won’t be producing a full version of PES 2021, opting instead for a seasonal update as it focuses primarily on next-gen versions of the football sim. 

For decades, Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer has received annual entries alongside Electronic Arts’ FIFA, with the two often competing against each other for the attention of gamers. For the first time in years, that won’t be the case. 

Instead, Konami will be releasing a seasonal update of PES 2021 which will be available at “an affordable anniversary price” later this year. Compared to FIFA, PES only has a handful of major licenses, so this move might tempt some to jump on the competition. 

The majority of the company’s attention will now be focused on a next-generation vision for Pro Evolution Soccer, which is currently in the works for PS5 and Xbox Series X. It will be developed on a completely new engine, abandoning the FOX Engine which powered a number of entries in the franchise throughout the past generation. 

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“This title is being developed with an updated engine that will enable us to dazzle you with staggering improvements to all areas of the game,” Konami explained. “Expect more realistic player models and animations, enhanced physics, photorealistic visuals, and much much more.

“We recognise that many of you are enthusiastic for new myClub and Master League content, and we are also excited to share that large updates are in the works for both of these modes.Currently, we aim to begin testing of our next-gen title sometime in mid-2021, with an estimated release date later in the same year.”

It’s a shame that PES 2021 won’t be materialising in its complete form this year, since the franchise always manages to impress despite its monolithic competition. With any luck, an extra year and new technology will allow PES 2022 to really shine on new platforms next year.