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Konami says Sony made the call to drop 'PES 2019' from PS Plus freebies
Sony raised some eyebrows when it said Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 would no longer be a free game for PS Plus subscribers in July, with Detroit: Become Human Digital Deluxe Edition (which includes Heavy Rain) taking its place. But if you're wondering why the change occurred, statements from Sony and PES publisher Konami didn't shed too much light on the matter, beyond revealing who made the call.
Sony subs ‘PES' for 'Detroit' in July's PS Plus lineup
In an unusual move for Sony, it's making a change to its free PS Plus game lineup for July. It previously said the offerings would be Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 and Horizon Chase Turbo. Now, it's swapping out PES 2019 for Detroit: Become Human Digital Deluxe Edition, which includes another Quantic Dream game in Heavy Rain (a previous PS Plus giveaway).
Konami launches free-to-play version of soccer sim 'PES 2019'
Looking for some football action without forking out full price for FIFA? Konami announced today that it is releasing PES 2019 Lite, a stripped down and free-to-play version of its soccer simulator, for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. The focus of the "Lite" title is MyClub, a game mode that allows players to assemble super squads of their favorite footballs past and present. The mode includes optional in-app purchases, which may be how Konami plans to make its money with the free-to-play game.
RIP, 'Pro Evolution Soccer'
I have a mild obsession with FIFA video games, largely because I like playing with official teams and players rather than fictional ones. But, I always gave Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) a chance. Two years ago, I even wrote that Konami's title was actually better than EA Sports', much to the the disbelief of many of my football friends. A big reason I always kept coming back to PES (aside from its more realistic gameplay) was the fact it had licensing rights for the UEFA Champions League (UCL), Europe's most prestigious club tournament. Since 2008, FIFA players have had to make do with a generic version that EA Sports created, which simply wasn't good enough. You need that UCL orchestral theme song and the original trophy to make the competition feel real. But thing will be changing soon, and Pro Evolution Soccer is going to suffer as a result.
EA can’t buy what makes ‘PES’ great
It hasn't been a good month for Pro Evolution Soccer. Back in May, UEFA ended its partnership with Konami, a deal that allowed PES to include the biggest annual club tournament in Europe. And, perhaps more importantly, the teams that qualified for it. Some of those big names remain thanks to separate licensing deals with the club itself or with a league. It's true that EA is stacking the deck when it comes to teams and tournaments in FIFA, but the charm of PES goes way beyond its team roster.
'PES 2019' hits PC, PS4 and Xbox One on August 28th
If you'd rather not support EA's definitions of "gambling" and "loot boxes" but still want to play virtual soccer football, maybe this year's Pro Evolution Soccer from Konami will tickle your fancy. PES 2019 will be in stores August 28th (US) and August 30th (Europe) for Steam, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It'll feature 4K HDR video across "all capable platforms," too. Hopefully that means support for the PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X in addition to PC. Earlier last month it was revealed that the franchise would lose its license for the Champions League teams and players, and Konami hasn't provided any information yet on what will replace them. However, its announcement trailer for the new game features and awful lot of David Beckham, and there will even be an edition of the game named after Posh Spice's husband. The game is up for pre-order right now, and we'll probably get answers to our burning questions about which leagues and stadiums will be featured next month at E3.
