Konami's F2P eFootball Finally Adds Crossplay And Matches Against AI Opponents

The first few months after the launch of Konami's F2P sports game eFootball didn't go all that well if you remember. If not, the game launched missing quite a few modes, like "Dream Match" (which was added later), and the game's monetization was a frequent factor in Steam reviews that started at very negative and now currently trend at "Mixed."

Today's 4.4.0 update FINALLY circles back to adding a number of features that really should have been in the game for a long time now. First, players can finally hit the pitch against AI opponents. AI teams are organized by difficulty and that should allow newer players to get a few wins under their belt as they learn the ropes. Interestingly, these AI clubs are created by other players also experimenting in AI mode. That means your own developed players could be challenging others around the world.

In maybe bigger news, eFootball finally includes crossplay across PC, Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation. You can enable or disable this feature on all platforms if for some reason you don't like the idea of playing opponents on other platforms. This addition impacts ranked matches, Friends Play, and even co-op.

Other improvements included in the update are changes to the game's passing system to make it more impactful, a new "Smart Assist" system for those that need a bit of help with strength and direction for things like dribbling, and a number of system improvements like the ability to delete old skills and release players all at once in bulk.

In response to player concerns regarding lag and performance, Konami has also revealed the location of servers, and talked about other network improvements made, in their latest eFootball CONNECT stream below. The video does include English subtitles.