In a very bold move, Konami could be set to make PES 2022 free to play in an attempt to claw away some of FIFA's market share.
Konami are said to be looking at reinstating themselves as a powerhouse developer/publisher and this would be a huge step towards that. But is making PES 2022 free to play a step too far?
Will PES 2022 Be Free To Play?
While there is no solid confirmation yet, signs are pointing towards PES 2022 being free to play. As Konami try and re-establish themselves as a big name in gaming, taking a competitive share of the football game market would be huge.
Whilst on the VGC Off The Record podcast, Andy Robinson notes that he has heard that Konami have a number of projects in the works whilst actively trying to change things up with existing projects like PES 2022. He then goes on to note about the free to play possibility.
Whether or not this will work remains to be seen. PES is not as heavily monetized as FIFA, so their revenue stream is more reliant on game sales. This results in the risk factor of PES 2022 being free to play much higher.
All Part Of The Konami Strategy
Konami are believed to be making moves to push their popular gaming properties back into the spotlight. They recently partnered with Bloober Team on what is likely to become a new Silent Hill game.
It's also believed that Bluepoint Games have taken on a Metal Gear Solid Remake as their next big venture. Finally, Castlevania is also set to make a comeback under a new external developer.
With so many exciting projects on hand and the possibility of PES 2022 being free to play, it's no surprise that some believe Konami could once again be a force in the games industry.