PES 2022: ‘New Football Game’ demo quietly launches
Konami hasn’t fully laid out its plans for its Pro Evolution Soccer franchise, but it appears that a demo for the latest installment in the series is now available. The demo, which is simply called “New Football Game Online Performance Test” is available on PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Konami hasn’t even announced that the demo became available today.
However, there is a page dedicated to the “New Football Game Online Performance Test” that specifically mentions the “new football experience,” which is believed to be PES 2022. The purpose of the demo, according to Konami, is to “evaluate the quality of the online matchmaking and connection to the servers.”
The publisher notes that gameplay mechanics, balancing, animations and graphics are still under development and will be improved before launch. As IGN reports, the demo was created in Unreal Engine, which PES will be switching to this year.
The demo is limited in scope. It only offers online 1v1 games with Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Barcelona, which makes sense since those are Partner Clubs for the franchise. Cross-play is supported between PS4 and PS5, and between Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
More from App and Gaming News
- Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.1: Last major update released
- GTA 6: Who is Lucia and what is her role?
- Sonic Dream Team review: A welcome surprise to Apple Arcade
- Is GTA 6 coming to PC at launch in 2025?
- GTA 6 trailer arrives early, confirming 2025 release: Watch it here!
The demo will run until July 8, 2021. If you’re interested in participating, you’ll have to search for “New Football Game Online Performance Test” on your console’s official store.
I’ve always considered myself more of a FIFA player as EA’s ability to snatch up licenses has always drawn me to the series. PES, despite how good its actual gameplay can be, just always feels like a little sibling struggling to find its own identity. A lot of that had to do with club authenticity. But with Konami finally getting actual key Italian Club licenses, it looks like the series could take the next step.
You can find more details on PES 2022 —or the New Football Game Online Performance Test — here.