If you’ve stumbled across soccer gaming clips on social media or heard friends rave about a free alternative to paid yearly soccer franchises, you’ve probably wondered what is eFootball 2023. Originally launched as the third major iteration of Konami’s rebranded Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) series, this title marked a huge turning point for the studio after the rocky initial 2022 eFootball launch. I’ve put in over 120 hours playing the 2023 version across PS5, PC, and mobile, so I’ll break down exactly what makes this entry stand out, who it’s for, and whether it’s still worth playing even after newer eFootball versions have released.
Core Features That Define What is eFootball 2023
This entry was built from the ground up to fix the bugs and missing features that made the first eFootball release such a disappointment for long-time PES fans, and it added a handful of industry-first features for soccer games. Free-to-play access with no upfront purchase required is the biggest difference from its paid PES predecessors, as you can access every core game mode without spending a single dollar. Optional microtransactions only apply to cosmetic items, special player packs, and premium battle passes, none of which are required to enjoy the full gameplay experience.
Cross-platform progression and matchmaking was another groundbreaking addition for this entry. Unlike most other soccer games at the time, you can link your Konami account across PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, iOS, and Android, so your squad progress, in-game currency, and unlocked items carry over no matter what device you play on. You can also matchmake with friends on any platform, which was a huge draw for players who had friends spread across different console ecosystems.
The flagship game mode for 2023 is Dream Team, where you build your own custom squad using players from every top global league, from the Premier League to Serie A to the J League. You can earn players through match rewards, weekly challenges, or optional in-game purchases, and level them up to improve their stats as you play. Konami also updated all player rosters to match the 2022/23 global soccer season, so you’ll find all the latest transfers and team lineups from that year.
Key Gameplay Changes From Earlier eFootball Entries
The 2022 eFootball launch was widely panned for its janky animations, broken AI, and lack of content, so Konami focused almost entirely on polishing gameplay for the 2023 release. Refined defensive mechanics were the most noticeable improvement: earlier versions had random tackling outcomes and terrible AI marking that made defending feel like a coin flip, but 2023 added manual block controls and improved teammate positioning, so you can actually shut down attacking runs if you plan your movements correctly.
Dribbling and shooting also got a major overhaul. They added more subtle first-touch controls, so you can pull off skill moves or adjust your shot angle without memorizing complicated button combinations, which made the game far more accessible for casual players. The ball physics were completely reworked too, so passes bounce and curve realistically based on surface and power, instead of feeling like they’re on a fixed track like in the 2022 version.
Balanced pay-to-win concerns were another big win for players. The 2022 version made it almost impossible to get top-tier players without spending real money on loot boxes, but 2023 adjusted the reward system so you can earn high-rated players just by playing daily matches and weekly challenges. I was able to get a 92-rated Kylian Mbappe after three weeks of playing 30 minutes a day, no purchases required, which was a night-and-day difference from the earlier entry.
Who Should Play eFootball 2023?
This entry isn’t a perfect fit for every soccer game fan, but it caters to a wide range of player types better than most premium or free soccer games on the market. It’s still easy to find active lobbies for the 2023 version, especially on PC and current-gen consoles, even years after its release.
If you prefer fast, arcade-style soccer with lots of over-the-top 30-yard goals, this probably isn’t the game for you. eFootball 2023 leans heavily into simulation, so most matches end 1-0 or 2-1, and you have to spend time building up attacks with short passes instead of sprinting down the wing every possession. You also won’t find licensed leagues like the MLS or a full career mode for single-player, so if those are non-negotiable features for you, you’ll be better off with a different soccer title.
Top Tips for Getting Started With eFootball 2023
I made a lot of avoidable mistakes when I first started playing 2023, so these tips will help you skip the frustrating learning curve and start having fun right away. Spend your first 5 hours playing the offline training mode before jumping into online matches. A lot of new players skip training and get destroyed by more experienced players, but the training mode teaches you all the core controls for defending, passing, and shooting that you won’t pick up just by playing casual matches.
Link your Konami account across all your devices before you start playing too. If you start playing on mobile without linking your account, you’ll lose all your progress if you later decide to play on console or PC, and there’s no way to transfer that progress after the fact. You can link your account in the settings menu in less than a minute, so it’s well worth doing before you put any time into the game.
Don’t waste your in-game currency on random player packs early on. Most of those packs will give you low-rated players that you’ll never use, so save up your currency for the guaranteed high-rated player packs that drop every week, or spend it on training items to level up the low-rated players you already have. Leveling up your existing squad will give you a much more competitive team faster than gambling on random packs.
Join an online team as soon as you hit level 5 too. You get bonus in-game currency and player rewards for playing team matches with other players, and you can ask more experienced players in the team chat for tips to improve your gameplay. I learned how to master manual defending from a teammate who’d been playing PES for over 10 years, which made me way better at the game in just a few days.
At the end of the day, what is eFootball 2023? It’s a polished, accessible free soccer simulation that fixed almost all of the flaws of the earlier eFootball launch, and it’s still a great pick for players who don’t want to shell out for yearly premium soccer games. It’s not perfect – there are still occasional server issues during peak hours, and the commentary can get really repetitive after a few dozen matches – but the core gameplay is solid, the cross-platform features work seamlessly, and you don’t have to spend a dime to enjoy 90% of what the game has to offer. If you’ve been curious about trying a soccer game outside of the big paid franchises, it’s absolutely worth downloading and giving a shot.