(Note: Our PES 09 vs. FIFA 2009 - The Final Verdict article is now live and should be read upon conclusion of this feature for the full picture on this titanic battle)
Let’s get ready to rumble! As another Christmas period begins to loom large on the horizon old foes Konami and EA step onto the field for their annual soccer showdown. Their goal? The respect, admiration and – let’s be honest – hard-earned cash of the billions of fans of the World Game. But unlike previous years, this time we have a real contest on our hands.
We’ll begin by outlining the state of play…
The best possible outcome for any game is to be a critical darling, and a financial success. However, neither FIFA nor PES has been able to lay claim to succeeding in both these facets over the course of this decade. FIFA, powered by EA’s far-reaching licensing agreements (from player likeness through to pumping soundtrack) and sheer brand power has always managed to rise swiftly up the sales charts and stick there for months, supported by the mainstream and casual audience. However, for the avid gamer and hardened critic, PES’s gameplay has been considerably superior, but it has been unable to chart as spectacularly as its competitor.
But last year saw an interesting swing for both games. PES – now all multi-format, semi-licensed and enjoyed great word-of-mouth – has begun to sell much better. In contrast though, the gameplay has become stagnant, almost regressing in quality. FIFA on the other hand has made some significant improvements in its gameplay and modes, falling back in favour with some critics even if it has lost some sales to PES in the process. In 2009, it looks like the games will collide in the middle, like two attackers leaping for a header. It’s all finally balanced and either game could come out with that best possible outcome, critical and financial success: it’s on the cards for one of them. But which?
To begin answering this question we’ll take a look at what we know thus far about the two releases. As often happens when two likeminded products go head-to-head in the marketplace, the respective publishers recently went tit for tat on the announcements of their 2009 editions (which are appearing in late 2008, by the way).
