Konami has announced that a free-to-play version of Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 is going to make its way to the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 next month.
Following up on the successful Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, the game developer put in a lot of effort on its soccer simulator next in line, which could mark Konami's exit from the console business, making PES 2016 — or Winning Eleven 2016 in Japan — its last title. The company is believed to be geared toward mobile gaming in the future instead.
Described by Konami as an "entry level," PES 2016 will land on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 on Dec. 8, but it'll initially only feature seven clubs, including Bayern Munich, Juventus, AS Roma, Brazil and France in the lineup. While a full-game version launched on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One back in September, the company didn't mention anything about the free-to-play variant arriving on the Microsoft consoles.
Players will get to enjoy an Exhibition Mode along with a training section and full access to the MyClub feature, which will let them build their own teams. According to Konami, players will be able to recruit new members via points earned in matches or MyClub Coins, which might be available through microtransactions.
While Konami regards the free-to-play version simply as an "overview of the game's stunning levels of control," it'll be compatible with every future update for content and gameplay add-ons that'll be released "throughout the entire PES 2016 season," which includes roster updates.
It's also worth mentioning that the rumors surrounding PES 2016 being Konami's last console game is fueled by the friction between the MGS series creator Hideo Kojima and the company, where his name was removed from the MGSV packaging, his planned Silent Hills installments were canceled and his Kojima Productions studio in Los Angeles was shut down.
PES 2016 rolled out in September and garnered positive reviews. With a free-to-play version coming on Dec. 8 to the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, soccer fans can't afford to miss out on it.
