Fans have reacted in horror after images of the new eFootball offering from Japanese gaming giants Konami were shared on Thursday, showing Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo looking radically different from reality.
When Konami announced that it would be ditching its Pro Evolution Soccer title and replacing it with eFootball, many fans of the popular video game were game were skeptical about the future of the franchise.
However, when the game finally launched on Thursday many fans were left stunned by how bad the game actually was.
While critics slammed the gameplay and realism of the game, the thing that stood out most to fans was the players’ faces – in particular those of superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Messi & Ronaldo in eFootball, They look drunk #eFootball2022 pic.twitter.com/BmlNQGYOPF
— Levi.exe (@Levy_T_) September 30, 2021
” 2 yEArS oF dEveLopMenT aNd deDicAtiOn , tAkiNg pe$ tO a WhoLe neW LeVeL WiTh inCreAseD reALIsm ” pic.twitter.com/98gOlWULAu
— List⚡Mist ⭐⭐⭐ (@ListMist10) September 30, 2021
The images of pair’s disturbingly distorted mugs were widely shared across social media, with one user simply saying: “Please tell me this is fake.”
Another user simply said “they look drunk”, while one added: “It went from one of the best football games in the world to a game you don’t want to play before you go to bed as it can give you nightmares.”
Please tell me this is fake? #eFootball2022 pic.twitter.com/CiPDzwAqSu
— Matt (@MGH) September 30, 2021
eFootball, formerly known as PES, has officially released today as a free-to-play game.
This is how it’s going…
(via @Nakerman)pic.twitter.com/TzoB40qCae
— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 30, 2021
Thanks for kill my fav game @play_eFootball #efootball2022 here is a Video with Ansu Fati running like naruto pic.twitter.com/JQ2KRr2RwC
— Ricardo Bassricky (@BassRicky_) September 30, 2021
Who did this #eFootball2022 #eFootball #Messi pic.twitter.com/iSSHy9HU2j
— Epic Pes (@EpicPes) September 30, 2021
The face scan for Messi is all the more embarrassing when considering that the Argentine is the cover star for the game, and that a previous trailer released by Konami showed him looking almost life-like while he was still at Barcelona.
Others, however, have defended the game, saying it’s not all that bad and the images don’t do it justice.
it's not just them it's everyone…it may not be good but its not as bad as everyone is painting it by posting these awkward shots..i mean look at this pic.twitter.com/6Tlnr6llYS
— JoeyJoey (@crazyjoey_) September 30, 2021
Konami didn’t release a full game in 2021, instead opting for updated transfers and kits so they could put more focus into getting a version ready for next-gen consoles.