FIFA's Rival Pro Evolution Soccer Takes Another Hit With Loss Of Dortmund License

Konami used to be one of the best in the market but now the business seems completely derailed.
They have so many great IPs and don't use them anymore and the ones they use, they manage to destroy just like PES that lost these licences.
At this point I really don't care if they are bringing games to the Switch or not as, at the moment, they don't have any thing good to offer.

@tourjeff Yeah Konami just straight up feels like a mismanaged company these days.

@JayJ it's a real shame as I grew up playing Konami games.
It looks like to me that games are not priority as they are not investing enough to create great games.
Also, I'd not expect anything amazing being released on the Switch as it seems they are not putting any efforts to bring new games to the system.
Not even ports I'm expecting from them.

Anything that leaves EA one step closer to a monopoly is not a good thing. I have no problem with Fifa - it's a good series of games - but that annual tussle with PES is surely what helps both keep their edge. Konami is arguably better at the mechanics, but the loss of these licences is really going to hurt sales.

A lot of talented BEMANI artists also left from Konami.
Konami nowadays is not the same as 20 years ago.
Ironically, this year Dance Dance Revolution will celebrate its 20th Anniversary but still No announcement about Newest DDR to celebrate 20th Anniversary.

@tourjeff Yeah they were talking about re-releasing the Rebirth games they had for Wiiware but it seems like that never developed into anything. It seems like they just don't care.

What the hell happened to Konami. So sad to see a gaming great a shell of its former glory

So gutted. When I seen the PES picture next to the Nintendo Life logo I was hoping it was being announced for Switch. Why are you guys even reporting on this?

A shame, I played PES 16 and I really did prefer it so much more than Fifa. I know PES went through a long stint of being sub par to Fifa but they really have come back and reclaimed the top spot. If only they could sort out the licenses.

@FredBiletnikoff Just because it's not coming to Switch, we should not report on the news surrounding the game?

To be honest NLife, this news shouldn't be satisfying to anyone who isn't EA exec's wanting to line their pockets.

EA increasing its hold on the football game genre will only lead to less variety and less incentive to put out a quality game each year.

Looking forward to playing as the Borussia Black and Yellows.

I saw the headline and thought PES was coming to Switch. I've always stayed loyal to ISS/PES over the years, though it seems like it's really falling behind. I may have to finally go over to the FIFA side if it doesn't come to Switch. Though from what I gather, FIFA is a lot better nowadays than it used to be (though giving EA money isn't something I generally like to do, but oh well).

Everyone benefits from a monopoly, right?

That's a shame I was really looking forward to playing the master league on my Switch.

PES really is better than FIFA imo unless all you care about is Ultimate Team. Master League is up there with the best sports game single player modes. The licenses can be easily fixed on PC, PS4 and Xbox using a USB and some files downloaded from the Internet. They even work online so I don't see this as a big deal.

In my opinion, EA is the lesser of two evils in this situation.

PES is way better than Fifa. And honestly I don’t care about this licensing issues. Because except for team name you have everything else (player real names etc)

@Haywired I used to prefer PES til` PS4, to be honest, but now FIFA is actually a better game(I`ve played since late 90s). EA sucks hairy balls, but hey, they just gave us a free World Cup update instead of charging or making a new game just for it.

@Scrummer : The only circumstance in which EA could potentially be a "lesser of evils" is if they were pitted against Satan himself, and even then I would have my doubts.

I don't really understand what's with the current obsession for licences and especially this bloody Champions League licence - as if playing a game that calls it European Clubs Cup makes it automatically an inferior experience.

For 25 years the best football games have been the ones WITHOUT a licence and all of a sudden people can't stand the idea of playing something that doesn't have an official brand attached to it, as if it changed the actual quality of the gam?!

They need to focus more on an arcade feel like gameplay and maybe Some wacky attributes like the old games. If it stands out I feel like it would sell to people that have FIFA also

It is a shame cause PES is better than FIFA. I guess people does indeed like crap. EA ain't going out of business anytime soon.

@spizzamarozzi

Because people like football games to be as realistic and authentic as possible both in play and presentation. That is why Fifa is so popular. Having the official licensee adds to the immersion and even more of a reason to try and win your games. In latest Fifa's the cup that replaced the champions league is crap and feels lot less fun and immersive to try and win and play. Champions League is the biggest and by far the best club trophy you can win so of course having the official license for a football would help with the experience and fun factor. The Master League used to be the top dog but has now been vastly beaten by Fifa's manager mode. Master League has barely changed since the beginning where's with Fifa at least they try and add something new every new.

I'm not A Fifa fanboy by the way. I'm actually getting sick of Fifa because no matter how much EA deny it it's scripted (though same goes with Pro Evo but less obvious)

I used to LOVE Pro Evolution Soccer and 6 was at the time by far the best but after that it took a massive dive. Yeah things have improved over last couple of years too little too late for me. Master League needs a drastic overhaul before I come back to it again.

Konami is making enough money in Japan on pachinko machines. That seems to be their top priority at the moment. It's a pity for us gamers as they do own such iconic IP. Here's hoping they outsource some of it rather than letting franchises die completely.

One of the biggest problems with "realistic" sports video games is the lack of true competition. Sports fans are hella loyal, they want to play the game with the real teams they care about. As a result they just buy whichever game has the license. Having those licenses gives companies an major unfair advantage. It's why the only other sports games that have any noteworthy success are games like Golf Story or Mario Tennis - games that are decidedly not life like.

@Appleflap Nope, that would destroy everything PES stands for. It's the more in-depth simulation out of the two and that was always their advantage over FIFA.
FIFA is already a little bit more arcade-like, so going in the same direction wouldn't help.

They could totally bring ISS back though as a full-on arcade title and sell both games.

I just recently got back into PES after playing a few rounds of FIFA on my Switch and it still has better gameplay and features that FIFA doesn't have. But it also has a few bugs, especially the PC port (which Konami doesn't really care much about for 4 or 5 years at least).

Konami really developed into a poopy company.

PES is far superior to FIFA for my taste. Crossing my fingers it comes to the switch. Given EA's lackluster support on the switch.

Official licenses don't prevent Fire Pro from being the best wrestling game out there by a wide margin.

Even if they took away the New Japan agreement, you could still set up a "Benny Ortega" vs. "Kazucha Okama" feud with relative ease.

Not to be «that guy», but what does this news have to with Nintendo? Detail level information about a game that is likely not coming to a Nintendo platform.

I’m all for information about companies that Nintendo have a longstanding relationship with, including Konami. I also like information about historic «enemies», such as news about Sega Mega Drive mini etc. This was a bridge too far in my humble opinion.

When it comes to Konami, I used to love their games growing up. That said, I’m having a hard time remembering the last time I bought a Konami game on a Nintendo platform. It might have been MGS Twin Snakes for Gamecube. What games have they released for Switch, 3DS and Wii U?

I give PES another 4-5 years until FIFA swallows it out of existence.

Like both. FIFA has a clear advantage. Just wish both can keep growing and getting better. I think we need PES to keep giving a good fight.

Maybe this is good. Less of a "culture of reliance" on licensing. Invest that time and money into the game. PES was never about actual teams.

No idea why Konami would see FIFA get trounced by a XCom clone with a mario skin on Switch (and every other version) and decide this is a good time to bring PES to switch. Especially it was financial insignificant for Ubisoft To be the best selling 3rd party on Switch.

They just need to focus everything on making a great modern PES on PS4 first and putting the game back on the map. Same thing Capcom did with Monster Hunter World. They not rejuvenating PES by porting it to a handheld or buying team names.

@Agramonte PES aint ever getting anywhere near FIFA sales wise so please stop the oh get the game right on PS4 first before thinking about a switch port rubbish. The game gets trounced in sales against FIFA. You know fall well konami are never turning that around. Also let's not forget Xbox sales which are in the total gutter for PES. You can't honestly say a switch version wouldn't hit the same numbers at a bare minimum as Xbox one.

@kobashi100 i didn't compare PES to FIfa sales so no idea what you are talking about. And that is my point, they won't even get to FIFA numbers... And those were not even great And they even fire sale it at 19.99. And who cares about X1, the saleS are already in the toilet - so cut that out also.

They need to focus on the product not developing some custom engine to put it on another platform. One that nobody knows what online play will even look like 6 months from now.

fifa is loot box con but pes is 100 times worse with contracts piss poor rewards for a match hardly any single player stuff. and some dubious dubious stuff in game. That i didnt trust any of it. but konami should just stick to their silly gambling machines and leave gaming for good. at least switch owners dont have to suffer it

Meh, PES and FIfa are the same dull old 3D foot ball game.

You want to play football get some friends and play for REAL! "Out SIDE" I know, what a crazy concept...

@spizzamarozzi I know it's stupid.

@Agramonte PS4 sales are in the gutter also so how about we say konami shouldn't bother at all. In the UK they launched same week as NBA 2K18 and lost which is embarrassing. Even in Japan the game is selling less and less every year. There no reason for konami not to develop a switch version.

Even though many mentions that it is fault of konami for not "trying" to maintain the licenses, which, in part, is true, it is not entirely the 100% fault of Konami, too.
I have seen in other sources that Konami has not been able to obtain certain licenses because the owners of those leagues have preferred to support Fifa's EA more than PES' Konami.
and also, that for a long time, even despite Konami's problems, almost very few have supported PES, especially for the licenses that the game itself, and for what little I have played, really it is better to the Fifa's EA; but, well, it's fact that people support more Fifa that PES, especially for the manage licences...

@kobashi100 because as of the last quarterly the shambles that is PES still makes Konami money. So makes more sense to double down on the good parts then kill the business or enter a platform where EA with a better product, liscense and deeper marketing pockets still not been a success.

To be honest, PES has had a couple of 3DS games and that's it as far as Nintendo is concerned for the past few years. Needs a replacement as FIFA's challenger.

I always preferred PES over FIFA as it played faster and seemed less scripted.

My favorites were ISS64, as it had no 'special moves' so any skills were of your own invention (I used to do a flick up, spin and volley move that was really cool). Then PES on the Wii brought in a fantastic strategy element with off the ball runs and a real control of the team.

Since then it's been restricted to PS/Xbox (skipping the Wii U that could have been a source for another innovation) and degenerated into more of a FIFA clone. Where as it used to have the better gameplay despite lacking licenses it now has neither.

@Agramonte
Yeah....no.

I doubt Konami cares at all about Mario + Rabbids (which is a fantastic and very successful game), and there is nothing they can do to save PES.

Thankfully, their Pachinko business is doing great, so even when their video game business evaporates when PES dies, Konami is still a very successful company.

Too bad I'm not a shareholder. Konami is dead to me as a consumer.

@Agramonte that's my point. PES still makes money and I am sure you would agree that it would make money on switch. I mean if it makes money on Xbox one then there is no doubt it would also on switch. I am just frustrated and annoyed that they are ignoring switch. It really doesn't make any sense to me.

This is why I will alway prefer arcade style football games with totally fictitious teams instead of simulators with real teams. I understand there are millions of people who do love simulators but, honestly, money grabbing from license holders and the whims of executives spoil everything.
Inazuma Eleven or Mario Strikers are waaaay more appealing to me than FIFA or PES could ever be.

Why does only one developer get an official license?

@kobashi100 I 100% share your frustration. But the game needs help man. I'm not saying Switch should not get the game - just that they need focus on fixing what they already have first.

@westman98 Well. they made money with Bomberman on Switch. They still mention it on quarterlies.

I want PES to stick around, and it be good again. The last thing we need is just having EA.

How is that news? Its not even out on Switch yet so why should we care? I want Pro Evolution on Switch. Konami please make it happen.
I think we can survive without Borussia Dortmund

I've alternated between the two, but FIFA has always.

@Agramonte
Unlike PES, Bomberman isn't declining and losing consumers to FIFA.

As someone who isn't a big fan of sports sims, I'd like PES to stick around as well for the sake of its fans, but the signs aren't looking good at all.

@Folkloner "To be honest NLife, this news shouldn't be satisfying to anyone who isn't EA exec's wanting to line their pockets."

News is not meant to be satisfying. It's just information. 😕

@The_Mysteron NLife's words not mine. The writer or editor has changed the article since it was originally posted. Initially it talked about how the news might be satisfying for Switch owners as potentially EA could acquire the rights for the Chapions League for future FIFA instalments on Switch, hence my comment.

@electrolite77 Playing the game version is lazy and no where as fun actually playing with some friends. even better you don't need to buy a new football game every year... unless you wreak the ball within each year. lol

@Folkloner Sorry, I get you now. That wording wasn't in the article when I read it. 😄