Konami is in a really, really weird place these days. Especially in the western world, their two main franchises arePro Evolution Soccer andMetal Gear.And with Hideo Kojima no longer at Konami, the state ofMetal Gear is entirely up for grabs. So,Pro Evolution Soccerand scattered mobile titles it is. ButPESdoesnt do well in North America. Not with EAsFIFA and a lack of proper soccer culture.

But still, there was always a sense thatPro Evolution Soccer was just going to continue to be what it was until the franchise literally curled up and died, or continued on in perpetuity. However, withPro Evolution Soccer 2018, Konami has made some odd decisions. The first had to do with that whole Diego Maradona lawsuit. Sure, it ended in a settlement out of court in which Maradona appears as a Legacy character inPESgames with all proceeds going to charity, but. Thats one hell of a way to get a talent you are already repping to press as one of your major players.

Then they announcedUsain Bolt as one of their pre-order bonus players. The track star as a soccer player. Definitely an odd move. When explaining the decision at thePES2018 media presentation at E3, the company representatives described the move as something new they were doing withPES2018 as a surprise factor. It turns out Bolt wanted to rep the game as he reportedly wants to transition to a soccer career after exhausting his track career. Konami also hopes that the partnership will open their game up to new audiences who otherwise wouldnt playPES.

Both of those licensing deals are pretty damn odd, but Konami isnt the company it was a few years ago, especially when it comes to the international market. Of course theyd be making some strange moves to try and find footing.

But it seems like, amidst all the strange PR moves, theyve also learned something. For the first time in 8 years,Pro Evolution Soccer is getting an online beta. Because the games online modes are not up to standard, and Western gamers love their online play. Even more interestlingly, that beta (being run July 20-23rd on PS4 and Xbox One) will specifically test the new 3v3 co-op quick match. Why its a 3-on-3 match is beyond me, but it marks the first timePESis getting a co-op mode.

Then, rather than try and market their game to the dust-dry North American market, theyre focusing their campaign with a World Tour in Europe and Latin America this summer. You know, places that get really, really into the World Cup.

But where all that learning falls apart is the game itself.PES2018 will support Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4, and PC. Yes, last gen console support in 2017. And while Konami is pushing the Super 7 areas of focus forPES2018, none of them hold water. Sure, the game looks pretty solid when you sit down and play it, because youre viewing the character models from a very decent distance. But the up-close shots in the press briefing and in the slow-mo recap videos show it all. While Konami may be trying to update the visuals, get better motion capturing, and add facial animations,PES2018 when viewed at close range makesMass Effect: Andromeda look like a hyper-realistic painting.

And sure, the updates to player AI and their ability to control the ball has increased, as have the set pieces like specific penalty kicks and free kicks, the game build at E3 was unstable. And for a game launching this fall, thats not a good sign. Sure,PES has always played better thanFIFA. But this late in the game, even increased licenses and celebrity ambassadors cant helpPES beatFIFA. And I think we all need to stop thinking there will be a year PES beats FIFA.

(Last Updated June 16, 2017 8:08 am )

Stranger Things Action Figures Are On Their Way From Funko

Browsing Bandai Namcos Ace Combat 7 & Dragon Ball FighterZ At E3

See original here:

Konami's Increasingly Odd Decisions About Pro Evolution Soccer - Bleeding Cool News