14 DAY TRIAL // The development team at Konami working on Pro Evolution Soccer 2015 says that it aims to bring the series back to its roots with the next installment in the long-running football simulation series, but one element that’s clearly modern is the way it will use microtransactions in order to deliver some content to gamers.
Fans of the franchise have reacted pretty negatively to the announcement, but James Cox, the leader of the team working on the experience, says that the implementation is designed to help players get access to content and enjoy the title.
In Pro Evolution Soccer 2015, gamers who use the myClub mode will be able to spend either in-game currency, named Game Points, or real-world money from the credit card in order to get access to the best players in the world and add them to the squad.
The game maker tells IGN that “If you don’t have a lot of time, then with microtransactions you can go buy a lot of players that you want. But you also can earn Game Points in the mode and other parts of PES as well. We’re trying to link things together so you can progress and build your team. The idea is that we’re trying to just give the players the choice of what they want to do. Some people have more time, some people have more money.”
The Konami developer makes it clear that the company will never introduce any content to Pro Evolution Soccer 2015 that can only be unlocked using real-world money.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who is believed by many fans to be the best player in the world, might be impossible to obtain for some gamers who do not have enough time, but they will be able to simply use real-world money to recruit him.
James Cox adds, “The general principle is that you will be able to buy the players you want, he exact final mechanic is all still being tuned, but yes–if you want to buy Ronaldo, one way or another, you will be able to do that. And you will be happy with what you spend your money on.”
Fans have said that microtransactions will upset the balance of the game and will limit the sense of achievement that gamers are looking for when playing Pro Evolution Soccer 2015.
The title will be offered on the Xbox One, the PlayStation 4, the PC, and current-gen consoles in the autumn of this year.