Pro Evolution Soccer 2010: Features and Release Date-javu?

Today, Konami has announced further details behind their immensely popular PES 2010. A solid rivalry has formed between the FIFA and Pro Ev franchises, where they will officially clash with the exact same release date in The States on October 22.

Quite a few features sound strangely similar to FIFA’s recent fact sheet (found on MMOMFG earlier this week), such as 360-degree dribbling, fine-tuned close control and improved moves on and off the ball. Let’s hope these features have been being fleshed out for a while and aren’t a quick response to EA Sport’s recent press release.

The competition is heating up between the two soccer franchises for a clash of epic proportions in late October. Tune in for more details as they appear, but check out the press release below and recent screenshots for now:

PES 2010: Major additions confirmed for further realism

Konami unveils new 360-degree control system, and more key gameplay advances determined by fan requests
Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has announced that PES 2010 will benefit from 360-degree control and further elevating the unrivaled realism of the title.

The announcement comes following Konami’s close contact with the global network of PES and football fans, who have played a key role in the development of the new game. Via forums and feedback, the PES Productions team in Tokyo has canvassed opinion on elements fans hoped to see included in PES 2010, and 360-degree control was part of the long list.

360-degree control will be available on both the PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360 and PC-DVD versions of the game via the analogue sticks on the respective controllers. The system will allow players to spread the ball with ease, opening up new attacking and defensive possibilities. PLAYSTATION®3 owners will also benefit when using the Dual Shock’s D-Pad, but Xbox 360 and Win D-Pads are limited to eight-directional control due to technical limitations of the hardware.

Konami has also confirmed a number of similarly crowd-pleasing elements as requested by the fan base, including:

· Manual Goalkeepers: PES 2010 will be the only football title to offer users complete control of the keeper. Players can switch to their goalkeeper at any time, and will enjoy total control of his actions.

· New Goalkeeper Moves: Players can now perform quick under-arm throws to their nearest defender to get attacks rolling more quickly.

· All-New Animation: Key animation related to dribbling, running, turning, etc, has been reworked and enhanced, creating a more natural and organic feel to the way players chase down balls, change direction and move around the pitch. The result is a more fluid and natural look to the game.

· Fine-tuned Close Control: The PES Productions team has worked to improve trapping of the ball and basic close control elements, giving the user more ways to spread and move the ball around effortlessly.

· Manual Ball Request: The ability to demand the ball when running into space is now available to the player, and will be accessible in all game modes, such as multi-player, online, etc.

· Simpler Skills: Moves such as feints, drag backs and upper body feints can be applied more naturally when taking on or trying to beat an opponent. The PES series has long been associated with clever flicks and tricks, and PES 2010 will boast the most to date.

“The PES community has been an incredible asset in the development of PES 2010, and we can finally lift the lid on the many requests the team has been able to meet,” explained Naoya Hatsumi, Producer for PES Productions at Konami Digital Entertainment Japan. “We have strived to make the system work and coupled with the new AI and player elements in the game, it helps make PES 2010 a much richer and more realistic experience.”

“We cannot thank the PES community enough for their unerring support and constant stream of ideas,” commented Jon Murphy, PES European Team Leader. “They have offered a non-stop list of elements and options that has given the team so much to think about. As anyone can see, we are committed to making such things happen, and the addition of 360-degree control and extras such as the manual goalkeepers, being able to demand the ball, and all-new animation shows that the PES team are determined to make PES 2010 the greatest football title imaginable.”

PES 2010 will be released for PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360, PC-DVD, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), PlayStation®2, Wii and mobile phones in the autumn. For more information, please contact Steve Merrett at Voltage PR on 020 7903 5122 or email steve@voltagepr.com.

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*All images are courtesy of Konami

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