A Free To Play FIFA?
Konami recently announced that their beloved football franchise Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) will be no more. This caught fans by surprise as the Japanese publisher stated that they are moving on from PES into a different game called eFootball. Last year PES was called eFootball PES 2021, and was an update from PES 2020 which retailed for half the price ($30) than the usual $60 tag a new game has. The game was basically a roster update and polished gameplay mechanics, but overall graphics and core game was the same.
Konami has tested the waters with a free to play version of PES called PES Lite which offers a limited experience compared to the whole game. However, eFootball will offer a modular experience, meaning players can buy the game in parts, or the parts they need. For instance, they can purchase the “Master League” module (Career Mode) if they think it justifies the experience they seek. Some players rather focus on single player experiences than playing online most of the time. Others might seek to build their dream team, and compete in the “Ultimate Team” equivalent called My Club, hence having the option to purchase that part only.
I think it is a great approach by Konami, since yearly sports titles rarely overhaul their experiences, due to their short development time. Consumers often criticize the $60 price tag for a rehash of the previous year’s iteration. We have seen this with Madden games using literally previous year’s assets for their newest title.
EA has become some sort of a black sheep in this subject. Their game announcements and trailers often receive negative reviews due to their strategy of selling you the same thing on a slightly different package. They even remove innovative features, only to add them again in a later title.
Developer 2K has also been guilty of this approach. Despite NBA 2K having an amazing presentation, their focus lately has been on My Team. This has angered fans since the lottery system, also present on Ultimate Team (Madden, and FIFA), and My Club is anything but dodgy. These companies often feature streamers, get insane packs live, and make fans believe that the odds favor them.
It is good that Konami has approached this way on eFootball. Separating the fanbase into those addicted to gambling mechanics, and those that seek a more traditional experience. Besides, publishers are making more money on these mechanics than the mere number of units sold.
According to a reliable insider, it seems that EA will finally approach this model as well. This might be a response to Konami’s strategy, or a decision based on how the Free to Play model has worked for games like Fortnite, Warzone, Apex Legends, etc. Perhaps 2K will follow up, and all yearly sports titles, racing included, will move to a FTP model, catering the specific needs for their already broad consumer base.
What are your thoughts on Konami’s move to the Free to Play eFootball? EA will follow soon with FIFA 23 apparently; do you think this is a fair approach?
Let me know in the comments down below.
Comments