Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 officially abbreviated as PES 2017, also known in some Asian countries as Winning Eleven 2017 is a sports video game developed by PES Productions and published by Konami for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Android and iOS. The game is the 16th installment in the Pro Evolution Soccer series. It was released in September 2016 and is compatible with PS4 Pro console.
Konami partnered with FC Barcelona, Liverpool F.C., Borussia Dortmund and Club Atlético River Plate which will include recreation of the official kits, player faces, club logos and stadia among other exclusive content.[2][3][4] Features include improved passing, Real Touch ball control, and improved goal tending technique. It includes fully licensed Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona teams.[5][6] The cover of the game features Barcelona players Neymar, Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Ivan Rakitić and Gerard Piqué, as well as the team’s home stadium Camp Nou beneath the UEFA Champions League starball design with an Adidas Finale football on the pitch.
The game was positively reviewed upon launch, with critics describing the game as one of the best Pro Evolution Soccer games to date, and a refinement of its predecessor, Pro Evolution Soccer 2016. PES 2017 was succeeded by Pro Evolution Soccer 2018.
Adaptive AI
PES 2017 features adaptive artificial intelligence (AI), which makes the AI adapt to gameplay styles of each player. This allows the game to automatically change AI’s tactics and strategic plans, according to the player’s strategic preference and performance in matches.
Edit and data sharing
At Electronic Entertainment Expo 2016 it was announced that edit data can now be transferred between PS4 consoles via USB. Data sharing is also compatible across multiple regions, allowing European, US and Asian users to all share data among each other. Kits and created teams/players can be obtained with far more ease than in previous versions of PES, through “option files” – files that, once uploaded to the game, automatically change/update players, kits and teams.[7]
Match analysis
Match analysis (also known as Versus data) is available in offline games between friends and in online myClub matches. Players are able to analyze opponent’s playing traits (counterattack/possession, short/long pass, etc.), favorite moves and the areas on the pitch they use to attack the most.
Official partnerships
PES 2017 is the first game in the series that features Konami’s new partnership with FC Barcelona. Premier League teams Arsenal F.C. and Liverpool are licensed, while Liverpool even entered into official partnership with Konami. However, PES 2017 no longer has some big teams that were licensed in PES 2016, most notably Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Juventus and Porto.
Partnership with FC Barcelona
On 26 July 2016, Konami Digital Entertainment Co. Ltd. announced an official partnership with FC Barcelona that would be effective across their titles for 3 years saying “The FCB signature style Tiki-Taka, the powerful “hymno”, the Barcelona classic kit data release, and Legend player appearances are some of the things Konami are planning to bring into the game to provide the best experience to the fans. Customers are entitled to sign a Barcelona player who can be used in the widely popular PES mode myClub by pre-ordering the digital download version of PES 2017 through the PlayStation®Store.”[8] Exclusive use of the Camp Nou is reserved to the Pro Evolution Soccer titles for the duration of the licence.
Partnership with Liverpool F.C.
On 16 August 2016, Konami Digital Entertainment Co. Ltd. announced an official partnership with Liverpool F.C.. Through the agreement PES 2017 includes content such as recreation of the official kit, player faces and Liverpool’s home ground Anfield among other content. Konami announced the deal also stating that “This title’s core concept “Control Reality”, makes it possible to reproduce Liverpool’s compact and speedy game flow. With the new function “Advanced Instruction”, Liverpool’s playing style of multiple players to retrieve the ball from a high position, “Gegenpress“, adopted by manager Jürgen Klopp, is reproduced within the game. The most notable difference to this licence however is that unlike the Barcelona deal, the Anfield stadium will not be exclusive to the Pro Evolution Soccer series.
Partnership with Borussia Dortmund
On 17 August 2016, at the annual gaming expo Gamescom, it was announced that Konami Digital Entertainment Co. Ltd. had agreed a 3rd premium partnership, this time with Borussia Dortmund. An official announcement stated that “Through this agreement, PES 2017 […] will include the downloadable data of the team’s home stadium “Signal Iduna Park“. These new implementations will richen to fully experience “BV Borussia 09 Dortmund”.”
