Topic: Konami and Michael Owen Ink Deal for PES 2008

[LassePalle]

The next game in the Pro Evolution Soccer series (known as Winning Eleven in the States) will have the famous striker on its cover alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14076

 PES 2008 nets Michael Owen    

   Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH's announces Newcastle and England striker as the UK face of its new Pro Evolution Soccer title    

  Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has announced that Michael Owen, the Newcastle and England striker, is to feature on the UK packaging and promotional materials of PES 2008 – the latest incarnation of the multi-million-selling Pro Evolution Soccer series.    

Michael Owen is one of the most exciting and prolific strikers in the English game, and will join Cristiano Ronaldo on the UK packshots of PES 2008. Since making his first team debut in 1997, Owen has built a reputation for pace and skill, netting over 178 league goals, and 37 for England. His reputation spans the globe, making Michael the perfect compliment to Cristiano Ronaldo’s status on the world stage, and creating an enviable pairing for the new game.    

The striker will feature alongside Ronaldo on packaging and point-of-sale materials for UK versions of PES 2008, which will launch on PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360, PC-DVD, PlayStation®2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) and Nintendo DS in the Autumn. As befits a game endorsed by two of the leading talents of the modern game, PES 2008 represents a massive step forward for the Pro Evolution Soccer series and includes the advent of the new Teamvision AI system.    

Teamvision actively monitors the player’s onscreen movements and adapts its response, forcing the player to constantly revise and alter their strategy during the course of a match. PES 2008 also boasts stunning attention to visual detail with the faces of players animated and shirts creasing during a match. The new game also includes extensive Edit modes in all Next Generation versions, and closer control than ever before.    

“Securing Michael Owen is a real coup for Konami," commented Jon Murphy, Pro Evolution Soccer Team Leader for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. “Since he burst on to the scene, he has proven himself an incredible goal-scorer, netting at every level both domestic and international. We are delighted to be working alongside such a talent on PES 2008."    

“PES 2008 is a fantastic game, and the only choice for pro players," added Michael Owen. “It enjoys a brilliant reputation within many, many players and manages to be a true simulation of football while also being a real laugh to play. I look forward to working closely with Konami in the run up to launch, and being a key part of its development."    

PES 2008 will be released for PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), PC-DVD and Nintendo DS in Autumn.

[Mashiro]

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PES 2008 will be released for PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), PC-DVD and Nintendo DS in Autumn.

Psttttt Konami. You forgot Wii.

[Caliban]

Konami, U SUCK!

[King of Twitch]

Not enough horsepower/Not the target market!

[TJ Spyke]

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Originally posted by: MJRx9000
Not enough horsepower/Not the target market!

How hard would it be to at least port the PlayStation 2 version? Konami is basically saying "Here EA, we are giving you and the FIFA Soccer series control of the market again". EA already dominates the soccer video game market, and Konami is just helping them out by not releasing a PES/WE game on the hottest selling system worldwide.

[King of Twitch]

The PS2 is too hard to program for, and the Wii doesn't use DVDs.

[KDR_11k]

EA is stomping Konami exactly because they have a better business sense.

[Ceric]

Which is true in its own regard.  You can rag on them for making sequels but, they have a diehard following that really just see it as signing up for the next season like in any other form of sport.  Plus they do venture out in other areas that aren't their core brands.  Though not to much but they do.  Encompass a wide arrange of genre, RTS - Sporting without leaving EA.  Has the good sense at times to realize that porting something to all platforms while feasible doesn't always makes sense.  Has split in a way that the politics of the different genres don't effect unrelated ones.  EA does a lot right.  Hopefully with the new setup we'll see them take much more risk.

Now on the soccer thing.  Probably couldn't see how they could beat Strikers.

[Plugabugz]

But it's pro evo. Irrespective of how good it is (apply same level of polish to the PS2 versions to Nintendo versions, all will be fine) people will still go and buy it.

[Nephilim]

atleast in australia, pro evo isnt very big despite its europe sales
FIFA and world cup series always stay in top 10 for yonks after release, while pro evo series doesnt