By now, many gamers, especially sports players, have mostly moved on from the utter fiasco that was the free-to-play eFootball 2022. Originally billed as a soccer game that could take on the might of FIFA, Konami's release was met with universal mockery when it became apparent that the company had simply tried to rush it out the door before it was anywhere near complete. With an update coming out soon which could resolve some of the main issues, of which there are many, the studio has also issued a statement agreeing that it was right to receive a negative reception.In an announcement on the Konami website, the publisher admitted that it was "too focused" on releasing eFootball 2022, a series formerly branded Pro Evolution Soccer, which meant that quality was overlooked. The statement goes on to say that the team has been working hard to bring back some of that lacking quality and to "regain the trust" of fans who were unanimously disappointed with the launched title. As a result, the game will be getting a much needed update in the form of patch 1.0.0 that will implement a lot of changes and improvements.An update for eFootball was initially delayed, but now Konami is saying that it will be rolling out next week, on April 14. Some of the changes being made include improvements to passing, new shooting trajectories, improved dribbling functionality, better online connectivity, and more. As for the mobile version of the game, the announcement says that more information about the port will be coming soon, with the company also apologizing for delaying this version of eFootball 2022.
For some, it may be too little too late, as the rushed release of the game was evidence of Konami being more interested in making a quick buck than launching a quality title that could stack up to the likes of FIFA. For others, it may represent an opportunity for second chances. However, given that eFootball was considered the worst PC game of 2021, according to MetaCritic, it will take a lot of work for it to come close to what would be considered a quality soccer game.
On top of that, Konami is also looking to do another rebrand of Pro Evolution Soccer, trademarking the name Pro Powerful Soccer. This may be the company trying to sever ties from the disaster that was eFootball, but it's unclear how that will turn out in the end, given previous endeavors.
eFootball 2022 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: Konami