FIFA 17 will have to go without Barcelona’s Camp Nou, as Konami has announced a ‘top-level’ partnership with FC Barcelona which sees the stadium remain exclusive to PES 17.
You could argue (and it would be an easy argument) that Konami has always been a bit behind FIFA in terms of licensing, so this must a good time for them.
Tomotada Tashiro, president of Konami Digital Entertainment BV said:
This is a real statement of intent for us. By working closely with a team of Barcelona’s stature, we can introduce the PES series to a huge global fanbase. This partnership will deliver access to the very best players in the modern game and to one of the world’s most respected and ambitious clubs. The PES series is famed for its realism and control, so the fit between such a skilled team and a game that celebrates such ability is perfect.
PES 17 will also feature access to Barcelona’s squad, which should help create accurate models of each player with the aid of PES‘s Team ID and Player ID systems.
This will allow Konami to thoroughly replicate the squad in-game and deliver a realistic portrayal of Barcelona’s playing style. Realism of course being something that PES has always aimed for.
Fans can also expect the club’s anthem ‘Himno’ to feature, as well as in-game versions of historical kits worn by FC Barcelona over the years.
PES 17 launches on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on September 15 – just two weeks before FIFA 17.
Ewan Moore is a journalist at UNILAD Gaming who still quite hasn’t gotten out of his mid 00’s emo phase. After graduating from the University of Portsmouth in 2015 with a BA in Journalism & Media Studies (thanks for asking), he went on to do some freelance words for various places, including Kotaku, Den of Geek, and TheSixthAxis, before landing a full time gig at UNILAD in 2016.