PES 2021 has not yet been announced by Konami, but expectations surrounding the game are heating up with the launch of the new generation of consoles from Sony and Microsoft. Rumors indicate that Konami could opt for a new graphics engine in the PlayStation 5 (PS5) and Xbox Series X versions, but there are also reasons to expect PES 2021 to arrive later.
Amidst the rumors, there are also doubts related to the delays that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused in football calendars. The update of Euro 2020 to PES 2020, scheduled for last April, was canceled due to the postponement of the tournament and can only be painted in PES 2021.
Check out the following lines for questions and answers on the next Pro Evolution Soccer.
What is the launch date?
Konami is very consistent with the release date of its soccer game series, which takes place in the second half of the year between August and September. This indicates that, apart from any delays related to the new coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, it is reasonable to expect the game within this window.
The scenario changes when you look at the new generation. Over the years, the launch of new consoles such as PS2, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One has not received an available version of PES (or Winning Eleven). This may indicate that the new generation will only have access to the game later, or even in 2021 – all without taking into account any delays and postponements caused by COVID-19.
Which platforms will PES 2021 reach?
No confirmation yet, but fans of the series should expect the game to be available for PS4, Xbox One, and PCs, at least. Versions for PS5 and Xbox Series X are also expected, although the release window for these editions may vary slightly.
Rumour has it that Konami may even skip the first year of the new consoles. The measure would leave PES 2021 restricted to PS4, Xbox One, and PCs and give the developer more time to adapt to the use of a new graphics engine for the series, thus marking PES 2022 as the first title for the new video games.
What will PES 2021 have again?
PES 2021 will have two very different versions in terms of the underlying technology of the game. For Xbox One and PS4, Konami is expected to create a more evolutionary game, using the same Fox Engine, a graphics engine of the Japanese developer itself which has been used as the basis for the series since 2014.
In this sense, the highest expectations are around the versions for PS5 and Xbox Series X, which should use a new graphics engine as the basis. This paradigm shift, coupled with the increased hardware capacity of the new consoles, may indicate that PES 2021 for the new generation reaches fans of the series with much higher graphics and more refined artificial intelligence. As for the PC version, it is not yet known what kind of technology will be used.
The focus on migrating the game from a graphics engine to a new generation is not recent – but a part of Konami. Kei Matsuda, one of the developers of the series, declared in 2018 to the specialized WinPes site that Konami planned to migrate from the graphics engine only with the arrival of the new generation and that versions for PS4 and Xbox One would be restricted to the limitations of Fox Engine.
And the upgrade to Euro 2020?
Konami had promised an update related to the Euro 2020 to PES 2020 and that it was scheduled to reach players last April.
As the UEFA continental team tournament has been postponed, with the possibility of starting only in November, PES 2021 may end up benefiting from the decision, thus receiving the content previously thought of for the 2020 edition of the series.
Which are the Exclusive Teams?
It’s still a little early for Konami’s announcements around the content of the new game. Nevertheless, it is possible to have an idea of which teams follow exclusively in PES 2021, considering the contracts disclosed and clubs already confirmed in previous editions.
The biggest news already confirmed is Juventus from Turin which, together with the other big Italian Serie A teams, will be presented with official uniforms, a stadium, and the correct name in the game. Moreover, clubs like Arsenal and Bayern Munich should receive the same treatment, while Barcelona remains the big name in the series when it comes to exclusivity.
Who will be the star of the cover?
It’s still early to speculate about the player chosen for the cover. However, Konami tends to use Barcelona stars in the international versions of the game and PES 2021 is expected to repeat the dose.
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