The world of football games is hotting up. While EA’s Fifa series has been gaining on Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) series in recent releases, the battle lines are still firmly drawn between hardcore fans of either franchise. Those lines are to become even wider with the fighting words of PES team leader, Jon Murphy:

“It is all very well for EA to say that FIFA is making great strides, but general opinion suggests that they still have a long way to go before they can match the intuitive and absorbing gameplay of Pro Evolution Soccer. That is not to say that we are resting on our laurels, though. PES 2009 has a vast number of new additions that elevate it far beyond anything anyone else is doing.”

One of the additions is Konami’s recent deal with the UEFA Champions League, which secures the league’s exclusive representation in future PES games for four years. Konami have also secured deals with Premier League clubs Liverpool and Manchester United, allowing the games to represent the players, kits and logos from both teams. Yet another tie-in means that PES 2009 is the official videogame of the England national team.

Improvements over last year’s effort include AI enhancements, a graphical revamp, new control methods and improvements to the online experience. They’ll have to do a lot there to compete with Fifa’s Clubs in Fifa ’09. Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 will be available on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on October 17th across the UK and Europe, while the US gets it on the 28th of October.

Konami has announced that PES 2009 will be released on the PS3, Xbox 360, PS2, PSP and PC this Autumn in Europe.

The latest installment in the Pro Evolution Soccer series will include new graphics and new options allowing players to tailor the game to their personal tastes while new moves, control elements and online elements add to the realism of the game.

“The announcement of a new PES game is always a highlight for Konami, but PES 2009 looks set to reaffirm the series’ utter superiority,” commented Jon Murphy, PES Project Leader for Konami.

“We are committed to extending the realism of the new game with a wealth of key gameplay additions, and will produce a football title that truly embodies all the skill and pace that is good about the modern game.”