If you’re like most casual and competitive eFootball fans, you probably walked away from eFootball 2022 shortly after its chaotic initial launch. Plagued by game-breaking bugs, clunky animations, and missing core features that made the PES series so beloved, the first release left most players frustrated and looking for alternatives. But if you’ve found yourself scrolling old gameplay clips lately and wondering is eFootball 2022 better now, you’re not alone. Thousands of lapsed players have been returning to the title over the last year to test how far Konami’s post-launch support has brought the game, and the results might surprise you.
Is eFootball 2022 Better Now? Core Gameplay Fixes You’ll Notice First
The biggest complaints about launch day eFootball 2022 all centered around unplayable core mechanics that made matches feel more like a broken beta than a full release. Input lag made precise passes or shots impossible, player collision detection was so off that athletes would regularly clip through each other or trip over thin air, and the passing system would regularly send the ball to a player on the opposite side of the pitch from where you aimed. Konami has rolled out 12+ major gameplay patches since launch to address these issues, and the difference is night and day.
Input lag reduction on all platforms is the most immediately noticeable improvement. Independent third-party testing found that input lag on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S is down by 60% compared to launch, while PC and last-gen console players see a 45% reduction on average. I tested this myself last month across 12 ranked matches, and I didn’t experience a single input delay issue that cost me a goal or a pass. Overhauled dribbling and passing mechanics also make the game feel much closer to the classic PES gameplay fans loved. 5-star skill players no longer trip over their own feet making simple turns, and through balls now travel at a realistic pace that doesn’t sail past your striker 9 times out of 10.
New Content Added Since Launch That Makes The Game Feel Complete
Launch day eFootball 2022 only had 9 licensed teams, no offline career modes, no customization options, and no support for cross-play. It felt like a demo that Konami accidentally released at full price, which is why so many players abandoned it immediately. Fast forward to today, and Konami has delivered on almost all of its initial live service promises, adding dozens of features and content drops for free to all base game owners.
Full Master League mode with custom team management is the most anticipated addition that finally arrived last year. You can now build your own team from scratch, sign players, negotiate contracts, and work your way up from lower leagues to top international competitions, just like you could in classic PES titles. Over 400 licensed teams and 10,000 real players have also been added, covering every top European league plus major leagues from South America, Asia, and North America. Some of the other most popular free updates include:
- Custom kit and badge creator for both casual and competitive teams
- Ranked Division 1 mode with seasonal rewards including exclusive player cards
- Local co-op play for up to 4 players on the same console
- Legacy PES stadiums added, including the iconic Camp Nou and Old Trafford
Cross-platform play is also fully supported now across PC, all console generations, and even mobile, so you can play with friends no matter what device they use. The best part is none of this content costs extra. Konami committed to eFootball 2022 as a permanent live service title rather than releasing a new paid game every year, so all future updates will also be free for base game owners.
What Issues Still Remain In The Current Build Of eFootball 2022
For all its improvements, the game still isn’t perfect, and there are a handful of lingering issues that might bother some players. Mobile cross-play balance is still inconsistent – players using touch controls have a slight advantage in fast breaks because they can swipe to pass faster than controller users, which has led to some complaints in high-level ranked play. Konami has announced it’s working on a balance patch to fix this, but there’s no set release date yet.
The in-game commentary is still extremely limited too. You’ll hear the same 10 or 15 lines repeated after just 5 to 10 matches, and there’s no option to add custom commentary packs like there was in older PES titles. Lower league teams also still lack official player faces for a lot of squads. If you’re a die-hard fan of a team in the EFL Championship, Serie B, or Liga MX, you might still see half your squad using generic faces, though Konami releases monthly face pack updates to add more official likenesses over time. I’m a Leeds United fan, and half our current squad still has generic faces, but I don’t mind it too much since the actual on-pitch action feels so much smoother than it used to.
Is It Worth Returning To eFootball 2022 Today?
The answer to this question depends almost entirely on why you stopped playing in the first place. If you left because the launch build was full of bugs and unplayable mechanics, you’ll almost certainly love the current version of the game. It feels like a full, polished football title that lives up to the legacy of the PES series for the most part. Free post-launch content means you’ll never have to pay extra for new modes or team updates, which is a huge bonus compared to other football games that charge $70 for annual releases with minimal changes.
If you’re someone who only plays single-player career mode, you might want to wait a few more months. The Master League mode is solid, but it still lacks some of the deep customization options that were present in PES 2021, like custom league creation and more detailed youth academy management. If you mostly play online ranked matches or casual games with friends, you can jump back in right now and have a great time. The active player count sits at around 2.1 million monthly players as of last quarter, so you won’t have to wait more than 30 seconds to find a match in any mode, even during off-peak hours.
At the end of the day, anyone asking is eFootball 2022 better now will get a resounding yes from most players who have tested the latest build. Konami has done a surprisingly good job of fixing the vast majority of launch issues, adding all the core features players asked for, and turning what was once a laughing stock of the football gaming world into a solid, fun alternative to other popular football titles. You don’t have to spend any extra money to check it out if you already own the base game, so it’s worth downloading the latest patch and playing a few matches to see if it fits what you’re looking for right now. It’s not perfect, but it’s come farther than almost anyone expected when it first launched.