As part of the gamescom 2021 virtual event, Konami released the first gameplay trailer for eFootball, its free-to-play football game due this Autumn on PC and consoles. The Japanese publisher also shared extensive details on the new gameplay features and improvements planned for the first Unreal Engine powered edition.

　　Controlling the ball touch

　　Players will be able to control the strength of kicking the ball as well as determining dribbling speed; from a knock-on all the way to a full dash, just as in real football. In addition, on PlayStation 5, eFootball will make use of the controller’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers to feel the difference of player movements*.

　　*This feature will be added in an update after launch. Please wait for further information.

　　Tricking the defender

　　With greater freedom to control how the player will trap the ball, each play becomes a mind game*. A wide array of dribbles and body feints are also available with intuitive commands. In combination, these ensure that every single duel offers an exciting moment for both attacker and defender.

　　*This feature will be added in an update after launch. Please wait for further information.

　　Steal the ball and create chances

　　Players can block their opponent's shot by throwing their body or by reading the kick and cutting the pass. Naturally, stealing the ball close to the opponent’s goal creates an excellent scoring opportunity.

　　Physical battles

　　eFootball recreates the "physical defence", which is so important in real-life football, with a charging command when defending. In addition, the offensive team can also use their bodies to keep the ball in play, making both offensive and defensive play more dynamic.

　　Perform a Sharp Kick*

　　An option to charge a “sharp kick”, complete with new animations, will make the game even more technical and exciting. Players will be able to perform special kicks, such as sharp crosses, fast lofted passes and rising shots. These new actions take more time to execute, so players will need to choose the right opportunities during a match.

　　*This feature will be added in an update after launch. Please wait for further information.

　　Focus on 1vs1 duels

　　The eFootball development team has analysed real-life football tactics to create a new set of "1vs1" win/lose rules. With Motion Matching technology, the game evaluates the ball, movement speed, body direction, physical ability and more in real-time to affect the movement of every player. These win/lose rules work in tandem with player movement to make the game more convincing, including foul decisions, which have been reworked.

　　Enhanced team playstyles and new controls

　　Team playstyles are a vital part of football, so the AI controlling the off-the-ball players has been revamped. Combining this with the new attacking and defending controls, players will have much greater freedom to play the way they want.

　　A new camera: Duel

　　The new “Duel” camera zooms in when the player is in a 1vs1 situation, allowing the player to enjoy the 1vs1 scene from a closer distance. When the player is in a free situation, the field of view expands, allowing the player to send a long pass at the right moment.

　　General improvements

　　The new Motion Matching animation system creates much more natural and fluid player movements. In addition, ball movement has seen further enhancements due to a partnership with a research institute. Finally, the action never stops during a match, due to the Seamless Restart system.

　　As a reminder, Konami confirmed the initial release will be akin to a demo. More features and content will be added over time.