Barely two years after its initial release, Konami will be shutting down the servers and online functionality for PES 2015 on August 25 this year. This means that you can no longer play online with PES 2015 after that date.

It also means that all of your myClub coins or GP within the game will be invalidated at the same time as the termination of Online service. If you still have left myClub coins or GP, you need to get on it and spend them now, before August 25, or they will all end up going to waste.

It is unclear why exactly Konami are terminating online services of the game so early- especially since their primary competitor, FIFA, keeps its online services up and active for so long. It makes it harder for PES to make a compelling case for itself to the average consumer- and with PES 2017 announced for later this year, fans will undoubtedly be wary of spending $60 on a game that could be dead in less than two years, over a game that is probably going to have a vibrant online community for years to come.

With Pro Evolution Soccer 2015, PES Productions are pushing the bar even further with improved visuals and several tweaks to the gameplay mechanics. GamingBolt caught up with the game’s Senior Brand Manager, Tim Blair to know how this year’s iteration will take the series forward. Check out his response below.

Pramath Parijat: Besides the visual upgrade, what kind of advantages has the Fox Engine bought to PES 2015?

Tim Blair: The Fox Engine allows for lighting and rendering in close to real time, which has made it much easier to make adjustments along the way. However, please understand that the primary advantage is the graphic fidelity.

Pramath Parijat: On one hand we have EA Sports’ FIFA which has expanded a lot in the last few years and on the other we have PES which is fighting to make its way back to the glory days. Why should fans pick up PES 2015 over FIFA 15?

Tim Blair: While we can’t/won’t comment on other companies’ titles, for PES 2015, we feel that once people play the game they will understand how we have updated the controls, responsiveness and returned to our core values that this game has been known for.

"There have been tweaks to the patterns of dribbling, jinking runs and general ball handling. Also, players will be able to see how well they can control not only the ball, but the overall pace of the game as they please.

Pramath Parijat: Have you address the issues from PES 14 like response times of the on-field players?

Tim Blair: We recognized this as an issue from last year’s installment. A lot of time and effort was devoted to making sure that this area was cleaned up. We believe that players will instantly notice the difference as they play.

Pramath Parijat: How are you planning to make PES 15 different but at the same time allow the player to play like he will play in real life?

Tim Blair: There have been tweaks to the patterns of dribbling, jinking runs and general ball handling. Also, players will be able to see how well they can control not only the ball, but the overall pace of the game as they please.

Also, two more areas that were focused on include the one-on-one challenges and the final through-pass just before a goal. We know that these are some of the most exciting and dynamic areas of football and tried to make these as rewarding as possible. We believe players will be happy with the results.

Pramath Parijat: There is a general feeling among players that the online component is not engaging. What steps have you taken to improve this in PES 15?

Tim Blair: This year, you can play online in a few different ways. There are online divisions, where you can engage in online season of 10 games against online opponents. Players receive points as they play the games, and if they get enough points over the 10 games, they can advance to a higher division; likewise, if the player does not get enough points, the player may go down a division. There are 12 divisions in this mode.
The other online modes include team play (11 vs 11 will be available again in PES2015), online friendly matches, quick matches (these don’t count against your online record) and online competitions.

"Users also need an agent to sign players for their clubs. Even agents can be replaced with better agents, obtained by playing in matches and competitions. The quality of the agent is directly related to the chances that users will draw better players in the mode’s lottery system.

Pramath Parijat: What kind of improvements have you made to the game’s Master League?

Tim Blair: This feature has been largely revamped over the previous year’s version. For example, the training is now player specific. The player can focus on balanced, passing, shooting, physical, dribbling, defense, or speed categories.

The negotiations section has also changed. The player uses a scout and can set parameters of where to look for players, which then generates a list of possible transfers. The players on the list are more likely to sign with you. In addition, you can also search for potential targets on your own without the scout, although the scout does help sweeten the deal. Even the negotiations are more flexible, as you can find out what players are thinking about your terms, which allows you to make a better package for them before the initial offer is sent over. These negotiations can happen at any time, but you still have to wait until the next transfer window.

While not mentioned in the question about the online component above, Master League’s online mode has been replaced with “myClub” mode. Players pick a manager and which country the majority of the players will come from. The managers all have a unique set formation, so players can select one that will work well with their own individual game style. Once the manager and basic country is set, players can upgrade the players and manager through “Game Points”. These are earned as you play matches. In addition, we have also added microtransactions where users can purchase myCoins for quicker upgrades. The “Game Points” (GP) or myClub coins become more important as they are needed to manage the players’ contracts and stamina.

Users also need an agent to sign players for their clubs. Even agents can be replaced with better agents, obtained by playing in matches and competitions. The quality of the agent is directly related to the chances that users will draw better players in the mode’s lottery system.
As users upgrade/improve their manager, they will find different on-the-field strategies/tactics that will improve the overall quality of the team. If you improve the manager, you will attract better quality players.

Finally, myClub also focuses on overall team spirit, and there are added benefits when players accept and agree with the manager’s style, have played together with other players from the same league system, or have played a lot of matches together with the current roster.

"myClub also focuses on overall team spirit, and there are added benefits when players accept and agree with the manager’s style, have played together with other players from the same league system, or have played a lot of matches together with the current roster.

Pramath Parijat: What are the core differences between the current and last generation versions?

Tim Blair: The gameplay should feel the same, i.e. the responsiveness of the controls, the playing styles, etc. The primary differences are graphical. Also, some of the cutscenes have been taken out in the last generation consoles, simply because of the limitations on those consoles. However, players should not notice any significant gameplay differences.

Pramath Parijat: As a closing note, is there anything else you want to tell us about the game that we haven’t asked?

Tim Blair: This year also includes an editing function, which will allow users to edit stadiums, players, and uniforms/kits.

Finally PES 2015 debut’s an entirely new way to play with friends: Role Control. Using Role Control, up to 3 players can play on the same team and take control of the forwards (attackers), midfielders, or the back field (defense). By giving players control over a certain area of the field to give they can take better control and have more ownership over that area of the gameplan. In addition it allows users of different skill levels to play together and still have a great time.

PES 2015 will be releasing in November this year, and as the first installment of the series that will be running on Kojima’s FOX Engine while being developed for next gen target hardware (last year’s PES 2014 also ran on the FOX Engine, but it was developed for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3), it’s a pretty exciting time for fans of the series that seems set on plotting its comeback and reclaiming the crown that it used to hold in the PlayStation 2 days.

Anyway, if you are excited to see exactly what all you will need to run the game on your PC, the series’ official Twitter today posted both, the minimum and the recommended specs necessary to play the game. It’s not a very demanding game- it’ll need a minimum of 1GB RAM, an Intel Core Duo clocked at 1.8 GHz (or the AMD equivalent), DirectX9, 500MB of VRAM, and the graphics card doesn’t even have to be a dedicated GPU from Nvidia or AMD, the embedded Intel chipset should be fine.

The recommended specs are slightly more demanding, but still, this is not a game you’ll be using to conduct benchmark tests or anything, that’s for sure.

At Irgomir- which is Russia’s largest consumer facing video games event- Konami and Kojima will be showing off more of their upcoming, eagerly anticipated Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain this year, they have confirmed.

Visitors to Irgomir will be treated to a themed display, which recreates a military installation from the game itself, and which can show up to 50 people at a time, a presentation on the game that will include updated and upgraded features from the things we already know of, as well as an entirely new area from the mammoth, gigantic world of The Phantom Pain.

If you are interested, Konami’s other big name game based on the FOX Engine, PES 2015, will also be making its Russian debut at Irgomir.

Irgomir runs from October 2 to October 5. We’ll keep you posted on any and all developments, footage, and news from the event, so stay tuned to GamingBolt.

All eyes may be on FIFA with FIFA 15, but Konami’s PES series of football sims, which used to be top dog back in the PS2 days, and then had a sort of fall from grace in the transition to the Xbox 360/PS3 era, is slowly carving a comeback. And Konami wants to make sure that you at least give its newest game, the second in the series to be built for the FOX Engine, but the first one to be coming to the new consoles as well, a fair shot.

And so, on the day that FIFA 15 goes on sale, they have audaciously released the demo for their entry in the football genre this year- the demo of PES 2015 is now live on Xbox Live and PSN across the Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4, in North America and Europe.

The game itself releases November 13 worldwide. Stay tuned for more coverage.

Last year, Konami’s football sim series, Pro Evolution Soccer, transitioned to the FOX Engine and finally managed to turn its quality around to produce a good game after a few years’ worth of down time with PES 2014. In fact, PES 2014 was arguably better than EA Sports’ entry into the genre with FIFA 14, which represented some quite time for the otherwise progressive and dominant franchise.

Now, Konami has announced the release date for this year’s entry, PES 2015- the game will be launching on November 13, with a demo due out on September 17, a week before FIFA 15 launches.

PES 2015 is a special game because it marks the first time the franchise will make itself available on the newer consoles. PES 2014 stuck to Xbox 360 and PS3, but PES 2014 will be available on Xbox One and PS4.

Hopefully, the new consoles help PES further continue its upward march. Given FIFA’s alarming stagnancy with its latest entries, I get the feeling the genre could use some competition.

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain and Pro Evolution Soccer 2015 will be a major part of Konami’s Gamescom 2014 line-up and it promises to show off “major advances” in both games. While PES 2015 will have a playable demo on the show floor, Metal Gear Solid 5 will showcase its “sheer scale and ambition.”

Konami general manager Martin Schneider stated that, “With Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain and PES 2015 we will be proudly presenting two of our strongest brands at Europe’s biggest games show, to a huge audience keen for new details. Both games show the commitment and energy Konami is bringing to the new formats. We look forward to sharing such important releases with the huge audience at the most vital European event in the gaming calendar.”

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain has no set release date but will allegedly be out next year for PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PS3. PES 2015 will be out in Autumn/Winter this year for PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

PES 2015 will be releasing this year on the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4, and surprisingly enough, for a title that is this close to release, we don’t really know all that much about it However, apparently, yesterday, some select members of the gaming press received a blowout of the game, and one of them decided to go ahead and post some gameplay footage for us all to see. Now might be the time to see it, if you are even remotely interested, before it’s taken down.

So, it looks great, and it seems from this footage that Konami will continue the upward path for Pro Evolution Soccer that it started out on last year with the excellent PES 14 (in GamingBolt’s opinion, a better game than EA’s FIFA 14). Hopefully, the game can live up the initial promise and potential that it seems to be exhibiting right now.

PES 2015 will be out later this year. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for more coverage and information.

Konami has finally revealed the first details for the upcoming Pro Evolution Soccer 2015, which will be releasing for Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, PS4 and PC. This will mark the second game to run on the FOX Engine developed by Kojima Productions and will feature tons of new additions to the gameplay.

These include a new shooting system for exact precision on strikes; tweaks to the final pass that take advantage of new physics routines; and 1 vs. 1 battles with other players. The FOX Engine also adds AI that always adapts to what’s happening on the pitch along with better response times, real time lighting used across the stadium, improved animations for players, and new behavioural patterns so that each player acts exactly like they would on the field.

Pro Evolution Soccer releases this Autumn/Winter for previous and current gen platforms. What are your thoughts on the game? Let us know in the comments below.