PES 2015, along with Metal Gear Solid Phantom Pain will be displayed during the Gamescom 2014 event. The expo is all set to take place in Cologne, Germany, on the dates, 13th to 17th of August.

Konami Digital Entertainment B.V. has announced that Mario Götze is to be lead pack star of PES 2015, with the publisher also confirming that the new football title will be released across Europe all formats on November 13th.

KONAMI has previously announced a focus around on-field gameplay, with PES 2015 centered on the mantra of ‘the pitch is ours’. This mantra sees the game faithfully recreating the heart-in-mouth tension of top-flight football through all-new control elements, including the most authentic close control system ever, new shooting routines, realistic player and team AI that mimics that of the game’s real life counterparts, and enhanced goalkeepers. Thus, after much consideration, KONAMI feels that Mario Götze is the player that truly epitomizes the pace, skill and moments of incredible brilliance that elevate modern football.

Götze heads up PES 2015 on the back of his most successful season to date. The skillful midfielders saw his club side, Bayern Munich, win the German league at a canter. Just 23 years-old, Götze is already a lynchpin for his club and national side, and has been described as “one of the best talents Germany has ever had.” Thus, with his eye for a pass, intelligent runs, and goal-scoring abilities, the all-round play of the midfielder is the perfect fit with KONAMI’s new focus. Mario Götze will front the pack shot for PES 2015 and all marketing materials.

By looking at key facets of modern football, the PES Productions Team has completely reworked how the game performs key sections. The shooting and goal-keeping mechanics benefit from a new system that allows precise aim and control over a shot’s power and also unlimited shot styles. Similarly, the ‘ keepers intuitively close angles and are capable of an amazing number of ways to react to any situation. Passing and the final ball to the front line has also been expanded, allowing for little knock-ons and powerful daisy-cutter passes that use new physics routines to ensure the ball realistically behaves as it would. Close control also steps up a gear, with the player governing both the positioning of a player, but with greater options of how to dribble into space or beat your marker.

The announcement also comes as KONAMI confirms that the game will be released globally for PlayStation®4, XboxOne, PlayStation®3, Xbox 360 and Windows PC on November 13th. This marks the first appearance of the seminal series on the new wave of console hardware.

A free demo will also be available on September 17th across PlayStation®4, XboxOne, PlayStation®3 and Xbox 360, where users will be able download and experience the most accurate, satisfying and enjoyable football game to date.

Adam Barnes

PES 2015 better be able to back up these claims, otherwise it could look rather silly.

Published on Aug 28, 2014
There's always been a rivalry between FIFA and PES, but in this increasingly PR-driven industry that's taken something of a backseat.

So it's great to see these PES 2015 developers take on FIFA 15; hopefully EA Sports will feel the need to retaliate and we can have a classic PR war like the good old days.

"Personally, I think we're far better when it comes to shooting and goalkeepers," said Adam Bhatti, PES European brand manager when asked about what PES 2015 offers over FIFA 15. "Our gameplay is going to be more realistic."

Klaus Garner, assistant producer on PES 2015, added: "We have a game that lets you play real football; you can play counter-attacking, possession, long-ball... which you can't do in the other title, where it's more like ping-pong."

Bhatti then said that "FIFA is all about scoring goals, they want to get you to that moment.

"That's not a bad thing, a lot of people just want to be able to score goals and have their lobbed-through ball work every time."

Bhatti admitted that PES has "made a mistake" in the past by trying to stand out as the "connoisseur's football game".

"We still are that," he added, "I think we've proved that with our understanding of the sport in this presentation. At the same time as being the connoisseur's game we don't want to end up excluding people.

"In real-life Schweinsteiger with the ball in midfield wants to hit a ball to Klose, and in that case the other team's midfield will block out the passing lanes and the defence will push out.

"That makes it really hard to make that pass to him, very rarely will a lobbed through ball work - but that's exactly what you can in FIFA."

Bhatti then added that they want to be "different", and to allow you to "play how football is played in real-life".

Finally Bhatti said: "The problem we've had is that that method is difficult and frustrating, so our challenge is to make the idea of playing real football a fun experience."

So come on EA, you're not going to stand for that, right?