PES 2017 was set to get an update enabling PS4 Pro support at the end of November- however, it doesn’t seem like the developers at Konami will be able to hit that date. In a new statement released today, Konami confirmed that the PS4 Pro patch for the game had been pushed into mid-December, apologizing for the delay.

The PS4 Pro support is actually planned to be fairly minimal, if reports are correct. It is clear that the game will get a 4K resolution mode, but that seems to be the only visual or performance based enhancement that we know of. In fact, whether or not that 4K resolution will be achieved natively is also something that we are unclear on for now.

The PS4 Pro launches today worldwide, for $399. PES 2017 launched a couple of months ago, and is available on Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, and on PC via Steam.

The game was officially released on September 16 and is going to be carrying support for the PS4 Pro when that console is launched. The developers for the title have reached a number of partnership agreements with real teams and real organizations in order to add realism to the game.

• 1. Development
• 2. Story
• 3. Gameplay
• 4. Teams

Development

On May 25, 2016 Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) 2017 was officially announced by Konami. During that announcement, the developers said they would be divulging more information about the upcoming title at the 2016 PES League World Finals. This game is latest in what has become a long-running series that competes directly with the FIFA video game series. The developers said, during that first unveiling, that the game is going to be using the FOX Engine to power gameplay. This engine has been used in other versions of PES, but the development team has said there will be new improvements to that engine.

The company said the game is going to be available on the Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, and PC and at the time of the announcement the developers would not say when they were officially releasing the game but did say it would be coming sometime this fall. On July 7, a release date was set for September 13, 2016, in North America and September 15, 2016, in Europe and Japan. A demo of the game was released on August 24, 2016.

Konami’s Adam Bhatti divulged during an interview over the summer of 2016 that the development team was basically working on a couple of different versions on PES 2017. Bhatti admitted the PC version of the game would be of a lower quality than the PS4 and Xbox One versions, though it would have a higher frame rate and perform better than the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions. Bhatti also said the 2018 version of this game would likely be better than this version.

On September 14, 2016 the development team announced it would be bringing support for the PS4 Pro. This means both the professional soccer games releasing on the PS4 will be offering 4K resolution.

Story

There is no story in the traditional video game sense of a story. Like most sports games, the story unfolds through several different game modes that are included PES 2017. The story, in a general sense is how the team’s season unfolds as players go through it. There are also a number of stories that can unfold through other game modes, but there is not a cinematic story that is part of this game.

Gameplay

During an interview with GamingBolt, PES 2017’s director told the website some of the gameplay changes this version of the game offers. In that interview he said, “and now that they’ve added various things, like proper transfer deadlines and training and stuff like that, it’s going to make it more engrossing. We’re just going to continue to refine what’s in there. I think that we are always up for coming up with new ideas but they’ve got to be bolstering the PES experience. Because gameplay is key, you buy a game to play it and that’s where we want it to be.”

Among the innovations that have been brought to the gameplay in PES 2017 is a revamped commentary system. The developers have said the innovations in this commentary comes in the form of audio concatenation, the process by which individual units are linked to create a fluid, more “natural” sounding commentary. The commentators that players will be able to listen to will be Milton Leite and Mauro Betting in Brazilian Portuguese commentary. Jon Kabira and Tsuyoshi Kitazawa are the commentators for the Japanese version. Cantonese and Mandarin commentary is added for the first time in this series in PES 2017.

As far as the mechanics in the game, the developers have included something they call “real touch” which is supposed to better mirror how specific real life players control and pass the ball down the field. This includes a slightly different feel for when a player is making a shot on goal for different real players in the game. Corner kick control has been revamped in order to make it feel as though it is a bit more realistic than what we have seen in previous versions of the PES franchise. The developers have also said the game is going to have a more adaptive AI that will apply both when players are going up against the computer in a season match, as well as the computer controlled teammates.

The modes that are available to play in PES 2017 include MyClub, which is a way for players to build up a franchise from the ground up. Players will be able to control how money is spent, scouting of potential additions to the roster as well as season opponents and setting the lineup. Master League is an expansion on MyClub which gives you more control over a kind of dynasty mode that goes through multiple seasons.

Teams

There are literally hundreds of teams contained in PES 2017. Almost all the teams that can be found in the title are those that play in the following leagues:

• Ligue 1
• Ligue 2
• Eredivisie
• Serie A – aside from Juventus, Sassuolo, and the league’s own official name.
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
• Primera División of Chile
• Argentine Primera División
• AFC Champions League

The licenses for the team names are complicated a bit because they don’t have the ability to get every real name. Instead there are a number of team names that are a bit different. The team names can be edited in game in order to have the correct names by the user.

Note: This wiki will be updated once we have more information about the game

Although PES 2017 put a great foot forward this year – it is arguably a better playing game this year than FIFA 17 is – it doesn’t seem like it’s been able to break FIFA‘s monopoly over the football game market. Industry analyst Daniel Ahmad revealed (via Digital Spy) that in the UK, PES was thoroughly outsold by FIFA.

How thoroughly? Well, by a magnitude of forty– that’s right, FIFA 17 sold over forty times as much as PES. FIFA 17 sold over 1.1 million in its first week in the UK- meanwhile, Ahmad reveals that PES struggled to even hot 50,000 units sold. This not only makes FIFA 17 the more successful football game this year by a ridiculous margin, incidentally- it also makes it the most successful FIFA launch in the UK yet.

FIFA 17 is available on Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, and PC, the same as PES 2017. While PES doubled down on its moment to moment gameplay offering this year, FIFA sold itself on the back of The Journey, a highly ambitious interactive story mode, which is a first for a football game.

2016 is a fantastic year for football fans. Both FIFA 17 and Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 have been critically praised for their respective gameplay improvements and it’s almost shocking that there are two really great titles and more variety and options for consumers this time around. FIFA 17 really amped up the experience by offering a full fledged campaign taking you through the life of upcoming football star Alex Hunter and on other hand PES 17 bought in several improvements in the on-field mechanics such as better attacking and defense options. So this brings us to the overarching question among fans…which game looks better?

FIFA 17 marks the first entry in the long running franchise to use the Frostbite engine. The engine is known for breathtaking physical based lighting, realistic skin tones and enhanced animations. On the other hand, PES 17 runs on the FOX engine, a set of tools and framework known for realistic lighting and fluid gameplay. Both engines run their respective games at 60 frames per second, which to be honest is expected in sports games.

So yes, there are quite a number of differences between the two titles and it’s interesting to note that the implementation of lighting is quite different in each of them. FIFA 17’s  lighting looks richer and pops out more compared to the slightly dull look of PES 17. The skin tone of players also look quite realistic in FIFA 17 with high quality skin shaders and honestly, it looks head and shoulders above the ones found in PES 17. However, the implementation of tress effects in PES 17 is rather remarkable and is eerily close to the real thing.

Another area where PES 17 takes the lead is the ultra realistic replays. We are not saying that replays in FIFA 17 look bad but the ones found in PES 17 are breathtakingly amazing. The cloth materials used in FIFA 17 seem to be of a better quality and this is perhaps down to Frostbite’s superior physical based rendering quality. However both games struggle with capturing realistic or similar player faces, something that is expected in a game that has hundreds of different players. As far as animations goes, both games seem fairly similar in that department and general inconsistencies can be observed every now and then.

The on-field action runs at a locked 60 frames per second on both resulting into a very smooth and fluid football experience. In the end both titles are fairly decent performers in the graphics department, however FIFA 17 takes the lead here with better visual fidelity overall. PES 17 looks pretty amazing at times, but the somewhat inferior skin shader quality and generally dull look and feel drags down its visuals compared to FIFA 17.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 is one of the best football games you will play this year but unfortunately the game is not selling like hot cakes. However the quality of the game will ensure that the game will have long term success, according to global product and brand manager Adam Bhatti.

“We are delighted with the critical reception PES 2017 has received,” he said in an interview with MCV. He also stated that despite the game’s positive critical reception they need to keep working hard so they can cement its position as a “definitive” football franchise.

“To do this, we need to sustain this level of quality for a long time to come – and we genuinely believe this will equate to more users and, in time, increased sales. We have managed to change perceptions of the series in a few years, but cannot afford to rest on our laurels, though, and will be looking into where we go from here and addressing how we can further enhance the game via download elements during the coming year. We focused on always improving and looking to grow the series.”

Well, ensuring the PC version is up to par with current gen consoles might be a good starting point, Konami.

PES 2017 is now available for the PS4, Xbox One, PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. You can read my glowing review of the game here.

To begin with, the gameplay feels really smooth, passing seems authentic and taking a shot towards the goal post hasn’t felt better. This is not only down to the “easy to get used to” controls but the smoothness in gameplay can also be attributed to the player’s fantastic animation system and fluidity with which they change their stance and sprint on the field. Unfortunately, the on field action can get spoiled by the referee at times due to his occasional obstruction in the heat of the moment, but other than that PES 17 runs like a dream.

"PES 17 is possibly running on an updated version of the FOX Engine and it seems that the visuals have undergone a slight upgrade compared to its predecessor."

One of the biggest improvements in PES 17 is how adaptive its AI is compared to previous entries. While we are unaware about how the system actually works technically, it seems that AI learns your play patterns and accordingly adjusts the opposing team’s intelligence. For instance, passing may become difficult if you are only passing the ball to the same player over and over again or attacking may become a challenge if you are consistently using the same forward player. The improved AI system also makes its way to goalkeepers who are much more challenging to beat than ever before.

Further improvements include the way in which you can control team tactics on the fly while the match is going on. When used properly, this could result into interesting scenarios while defending or attacking during the match. Corner kick has also been refined by giving the player a number of options depending on your play style whether it be offensive or defensive. myClub has also been updated to include new features in order to possibly bring it in line with FIFA’s Ultimate Team mode. We also played around 7-8 online matches and witnessed extremely minimal lag at times. It must be noted that the game allows you to search for players with a high quality connection so the lag if any can be kept to a bare minimum. However the caveat is that you will be region locked in this scenario.

PES 17 is possibly running on an updated version of the FOX Engine and it seems that the visuals have undergone a slight upgrade compared to its predecessor. Granted some players do like out of place at times but overall the visual quality is pristine. I have already sang praises for the game’s animation system but minute details like player likeness, sweat pouring through their faces and attires and the high image quality go a long way in delivering an authentic football experience. The presentation is superb and it’s a shame that the FOX engine isn’t being utilized outside of the PES and the Metal Gear series. We can only hope that this beast of an engine is being consistently updated and looked after specially given Konami’s somewhat unusual position in the AAA games industry at this point.

"Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 delivers on all fronts. It excels in giving the player an authentic football experience with breathtaking visuals and fluid animations and an almost lag free online play."

Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 delivers on all fronts. It excels in giving the player an authentic football experience with breathtaking visuals and fluid animations and an almost lag free online play. Of course, some of the gameplay tweaks and changes may seem more like refinement than an actual revolution but in no way deters down what is a fantastic football experience overall. Honestly, I have no idea how they are going to top this in PES 18 (if Konami intends to make one) and I will be shockingly surprised if they manage to do it.

It will also be interesting to see how PES 17 will compare to the upcoming FIFA 17 given that the latter is introducing an in-depth story mode to the mix. We don’t know how that one will pan out but what we know right now is that PES 17 is the football game you need to be playing. In the end whichever franchise manages to best the other, I guess it’s safe to assume that 2016 will be remembered as the year where PES not only returned to its glory days but also solidified its position as the “King” of football games.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

We already know that EA plan to patch FIFA 17 to support Sony’s PlayStation 4 Pro- however, rival Konami won’t be left too far behind, either, as they confirmed that they will be updating PES 2017 to add in PS4 Pro support as well, shortly after the game launches.

While Konami have not yet revealed exactly what the patch may entail, HDR support seems to be a safe bet (especially since even standard PS4 and PS4 Slim consoles support HDR now), as well as 4K resolution support via the PS4 Pro’s ‘checkerboard’ upscaling technique. Apart from that, there shouldn’t be much we can expect- higher framerates would give PS4 Pro players the advantage during multiplayer games, and so they wouldn’t be allowed, while extra content would require too much effort.

PES 2017 launches September 15 on Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4, with the PS4 Pro patch launching shortly after the game’s release. PlayStation 4 Pro will be made available on November 10.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Inferior PC Version, Once Again

PES 2017 PC version will not be on par with the PS4 and Xbox One versions, just like last year. This is a shame because anyone with a beefy PC deserves a better graphical experience, even better than the current gen console versions. Hopefully they will be able to fix this next year but for now PC gamers will have to take the hit yet again.

PES has progressively been getting better and better over the last few years, until as of last year, it has been safe to conclude on the whole that PES is a far better game than the competing FIFA franchise- though FIFA still holds the distinction of being the better package overall, thanks to a staggering variety of modes, and better licenses.

But for a lot of fans, all that matters is how well the game plays- those fans are the ones who will look at picking up PES this year (especially with Konami making an active effort to bridge the gap on licensing deals). And in good news for them, it appears as though they will get to play the game pretty soon, too- the demo version of the game will go live ahead of the game’s mid September release on August 24.

Two stadiums and nine teams will be playable in the demo. The teams include:

• CLUB ATLÉTICO DE MADRID
• ARSENAL FC
• FC BARCELONA
• CA BOCA JUNIORS
• CA RIVER PLATE
• SC CORINTHIANS PAULISTA
• CR FLAMENGO
• GERMANY
• FRANCE

PES 2017 will launch on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC on September 15.

FIFA 17 and PES 2017 will be taking their rivalry to beyond just video games this year- on the heels of the announcement that EA Sports have signed a partnership with Manchester United for FIFA 17 comes the announcement that Konami have signed on with bitter Manchester United rival Liverpool for the upcoming PES 2017.

All all related kits as well as a virtual version of Anfield will be made a part of an upcoming update; Konami also note that this deal will allow them to recreate Liverpool in the game with unparalleled authenticity, which should make it the game of choice for Liverpool fans.

Konami have made a concerted effort in the last few years to secure more official licenses, which is the one area where they have consistently been outdone by FIFA and EA (arguably, PES is the better game at this point). This Liverpool deal hopefully is just the first of many such deals to come.