eFootball 2022 - Konami's Seitaro Kimura explains what's new in version 1.0.0 (ING.com)
In the days immediately preceding the release of version 1.0.0 of eFootball 2022, for consoles and PCs, our colleagues at IGN Japan met with Konami producer Seitaro Kimura to fully understand the goals that the team has set itself with this update.
IGN Japan: You have made many changes to eFootball 2022, based on player feedback gathered since the release of last year's preliminary version: can you tell us what are the most important aspects on which you have intervened
Seitaro Kimura: Version 1.0.0 is very different from the previous one. Specifically, the update offers better accuracy and speed of the passes and adds a type of kick, "Impact Kick", much more precise than the normal way of kicking. Finally, the defensive system was changed. The new Dream Team mode should also be highlighted: we have collected a lot of feedback, and we have worked hard to improve it.
The basic concept of eFootball 2022 was to incorporate attack and defense solutions present in the current football scenario. It took longer than we thought, but I think we managed to get closer to this concept with version 1.0.0.
IGN Japan: Why did you specifically decide to focus on the accuracy and speed of the steps?
Seitaro Kimura: We collected a lot of comments from players who complained about the impossibility of making effective passes. Version 0.9.0 offered 1-on-1 duels, but passes are also important in real matches. We decided that it was necessary to improve the system that governed them, so that players could adopt the same choices and the same solutions that are expected from a real game. By improving the speed of the passes and the way the players receive the ball, we were able to improve the pace of play, which is a crucial element of football.
IGN Japan: What led you to intervene on the defensive system?
Seitaro Kimura: Our intention was to make the defensive phase much more intuitive. The players indicated to us that the defense was difficult to manage in the previous version, so we reviewed the priorities of the defensive actions and rebuilt the whole phase on these new solutions.
The pressing system, which has existed since the days of PES, has been restored so that it is now easier to focus on the player in possession of the ball. In addition, we have added a "team pressing" in which the attempt to steal the ball from the opponent involves the whole team.
IGN Japan: You intervened on both attack and defense: where did you place the balance, with version 1.0.0?
Seitaro Kimura: The purpose of eFootball 2022 is to recreate a real football match, aiming at that intoxicating feeling you get when you score. It's not fun to play if you can't score, but it's also not natural to see too many goals, from a purely football point of view. We have worked with the team to create matches where, for example, a 10-minute game can normally end with a 2-1 score. I'm sorry it took a long time to get to version 1.0.0, but I think we've now managed to create a convincing balance.
IGN Japan: What's the idea behind the new Dream Team mode?
Seitaro Kimura: The Dream Team mode is where the game allows you to create a completely original team and train players to improve the team's performance. It was called Creative Team before, and in PES we had a similar thing called myClub. We renamed it to version 1.0.0, but it basically works the same way.
IGN Japan: How do I get players into Dream Team Mode?
Seitaro Kimura: Players are divided into different types, such as Standard, Trend, Feature and Legendary, and there are two ways to acquire them. One is through the list of special players: this is where you fish players by spending coins, similar to myClub, and it is the perfect solution for those who want to quickly acquire very strong players. The other is the list of standard players, where you can "name" the desired players to get in exchange for GP, the currency you get by playing in the Dream Team mode.
For most players, excluding those of the "Trend" type, there are growth factors that allow them to be improved with training. In myClub, the stats to be boosted were decided automatically, but in Dream Team players can assign stats as they wish. For example, you can have a Lionel Messi who is very good at passing, a Messi who is even faster, a Messi who is a relentless sniper and so on, adapting it to your type of game.
IGN Japan: What are the plans for cross-platform support?
Seitaro Kimura: Version 1.0.0 still supports matches between PS4 and PS5 and between Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, but does not yet support matches between different console families. That said, we believe that full cross-platform support is important in the esports scenario: instead of having champions on every platform, we want "the champion" to exist, the best player of all, regardless of the platform they use.
IGN Japan: The next World Cup is just around the corner: are you thinking about any in-game events?
Seitaro Kimura: We are planning to make an in-game event, we will do it with the appropriate timing. This is an important moment not only for football fans, but also for so many other interesting people at the event, at this global tournament, so we will work it. We are planning to offer national teams, such as the Japanese national team, playable for a limited time. Details will come when we're ready to share them, so stay tuned.
IGN Japan: Can we expect a new version of the Master League that we loved in PES?
Seitaro Kimura: Honestly, I can't say much, but the Master League will be included in eFootball 2022 somehow. There are a lot of rumors around an improved version of the Master League, I can't say when I'll be able to share specific details, but we're taking it into account.
