Online beta announcement and more on Pro Evolution Soccer 2018

Konami has followed up its initial info on Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 with a showing at E3 that included a trailer, presentation, and additional gameplay details. The biggest news though is the announcement of an online beta next month.

Featuring the new 3v3 online co-op mode the beta will run from July 20-31 on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It’s the first online beta in 7 years for the series. Feedback from the beta will be considered for a release day patch in September. 

Gameplay Masterclass

Control Improvement
Feeling of total control when in possession, ability to make small and decisive movement to maintain the ball or make space.

Physicality Representation
Intelligent ball control allows you to keep the ball away from physically strong players.

Strategic Dribbling
Control the ball touch timing with just a simple stick control, wrong foot defenders with dribbling and fake moves through fine control with the stick.

Full Body Touch
Smoother trap control through realistic movement using various parts of the body such as chest, stomach and thighs.

Opposition Awareness
Players are more aware of their surrounding when receiving the ball, often pushing their body in between the opponent and the ball, with physically strong players having more character in keeping the ball.

Realistic Ball Physics
Further inclusion of real ball physics further enhances the reality including where it bounces, with skilled players being able to react smoothly to these situations accordingly.

Corner Kick/Free Kick
Control improvement with the removal of the guideline allows for greater skill and natural control, with new camera angle options to give the user the best view. See more action and physical battles as you step up to take a corner, while multiple strategy controls can be set at the timing of the kick allowing for a more dramatic outcome.

Enhanced Visual Reality

Player Body Scanning
Using real life scanning data, perfectly recreate the player models, including short size and shirt fitting

Base Layer Resolution
Player animations have been reworked from the ground up, starting with core movement such as walking, turning and body posture.

Human Motion
With hundreds of animations coming into the game, the natural flow between them creates a sense of reality never seen before in the series.

Facial Emotion
Face animation has been significantly upgraded, allowing the user to see intricacies in emotion and feeling with matches any given situation. Alongside this facial expression animation has been greatly improved, creating the biggest upgrade ever in PES.

Goalkeepers
The highly praised Keepers will see a new level of improvement. As well an abundance of new save animations, keepers carry the ball more naturally after a save, and have a variety of intelligent motions when throwing the ball to a player.

Presentation Elements
As well new HUD elements, during the game a variety of stats based on team and player performance will appear with real player images. New cutscenes added such as substitution and foul calling, as well as unique presentation when a player scores a hat-trick.

Real Lighting
On site research and material coverage of partner team home stadiums Camp Nou and Signal Induna Park benefits the game in the recreation of authentic lighting for the turf, with the addition of players and tunnels for both day and night matches based on fine detail data all collected in real corresponding times.

Locker Rooms
During the coverage, capturing of the locker rooms and mix areas took place to allow further realistic recreation for in-game.

Crowd
Off the pitch, crowd visuals and their reaction to the on-pitch action have been improved for a more natural but dramatic effect.

PES League Integration

Many competitions will be held in many categories not just as a standard 1 on 1 but myClub, CO-OP and Random Selection Match. Enjoy PES LEAGUE with who you want, how you want to. New option allows for all teams to have the same average rating for you to win with the team that you truly support.

Online Co-Op

New mode supporting 3v3 and 2v2, allowing you to team up with friends or other users to compete against the world. You can make a one-off team with an automatically matched user, or create a clan with highly skilled friends and aim for the top of the ranks. Supports up to 2 guests on same console, play as many as 3 on the same team to play on online CO-OP matches. Play 3v3 across modes, from myClub and PES LEAGUE.

New and Improved Modes

Random Selection Match
Added through popular demand, the mode returns with more ways to play and new presentational elements. Set the criteria of players you want and play with the selected players as your team.

Trade System
Once you have your players, try and bargain for player exchanges while blocking the player you don’t want traded, testing your strategic choices.

Scout Auction Improvement
New functions such as the database to search the specific type of player you want, history on past auction results, and Auto Bid functions for final round bids are some of the new features.

Challenges and Goals
At the start of the season you will now be given a set of objectives and challenges according to the state of your team, which are important if you want to stay in the job!

Pre-Season Tournaments
Play against the big teams before the season starts.

Transfer Season Enhancement
New elements added such as release fees in player contracts.

Presentation Overhaul

From top to bottom, every single menu has been completely overhauled through modern design, especially HUD display during the matches recreating a broadcast feel. Real player images have been added to the gameplan and in-match stats display, bringing a higher level of realism

PC New Gen

PC Steam version undergoes substantial enhancements in graphics and content, meeting quality standards and ensuring parity across all current gen platforms.