Konami apologises for eFootball’s disastrous launch, promises improvements

Konami has publicly apologised for the disastrous launch of eFootball, and promised it will improve the game over time.

The free-to-play successor to the long-running Pro Evolution Soccer series was released on Thursday and was heavily criticised by players, to the extent that it became the lowest-rated Steam game of all time.

“After the release of eFootball 2022 we have received lots of feedback and requests regarding game balance that includes pass speed and defence operation,” a statement on the official eFootball Twitter account read.

“We would also like to acknlowledge that there have been reports of problems users have experienced with cut-scenes, facial expressions, movements of players and the behaviour of the ball.

“We are very sorry for the problems, and want to assure everyone we will take all concerns seriously and strive to improve the current situation.

“This work will be continuously updated, quality will be improved and content will be added consistently. From next week onward, we will prepare for an update in October, while receiving further opinions through questionnaires to our users.

“We will do our utmost to satisfy as many users as possible, and we look forward to your continued support of eFootball 2022.”

eFootball has been getting unceremoniously slaughtered by Pro Evolution Soccer fans on social media, with many making fun of the game’s likenesses and animations.

The most popular image being shared among players shows Lionel Messi, the game’s cover star, looking significantly less realistic than his FIFA 22 counterpart.

One Twitter user pointed out that EA‘s character model for the Paris St Germain star is far more lifelike, even though Konami scanned Messi’s face and body as part of its partnership with Barcelona, for whom Messi used to play.

Konami had already confirmed via the game’s official Twitter account that eFootball would be “basically a demo” at launch.

Although it was stated to only include nine teams on its release day, Konami has announced a new Worldwide Clubs event that lasts until November 8, during which players can choose from a wider range of teams to try and earn GP, one of the game’s currencies.