eFootball Connect debuts this Wednesday with promises of news and the arrival of update 4.4.0

A Konami seems to be betting big on strengthening the connection with its player base — literally. The company announced that this Wednesday (April 16) it will debut a new official program called eFootball Connect, which promises to bring fresh news about eFootball 2025. And the timing couldn't be more strategic: the event will be held on the eve of update 4.4.0, which arrives the next day, Thursday (17).

The live broadcast will take place on the official eFootball channel on YouTube, at 8:00 am Brasília time (or 8:00 pm Japan time), and will feature the presentation of actor and producer Toshihisa Hagiwara. The promise is a new regular format of communication with fans, something that the game has been lacking since its controversial transition from Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) to eFootball in 2021.

Although Konami has not detailed the content that will be presented, expectations are high. Players are hoping for gameplay improvements, balancing adjustments, addition of new modes and expansion of in-game content, such as seasonal events and roster updates.

"The broadcast will be on the game's official channel and will have its first edition just on the eve of the release of update 4.4.0," the company informed in a statement.

The current version of the game, eFootball 2025, is available for free on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC, with continuous support through updates and events. The free-to-play business model has attracted both praise and criticism, especially regarding the frequency of improvements and the depth of offline game modes.

In addition to the new program, Konami also reinforced its commitment to integrity in virtual competitions. Players caught using cheats or abusive practices in official eSports competitions — organized or supported by Konami — are being penalized with suspensions from future competitive rounds.

"All users confirmed for abuses in eSports competitions organized or presented in collaboration with Konami will suffer penalties according to the Terms of Use and Competition Terms and Conditions," highlighted the official statement.

The punishments include bans from advanced stages of future tournaments, something that the company has been taking more seriously after community criticism about the lack of oversight in previous seasons. This effort also reinforces Konami's attempt to keep eFootball competitive and fair in a market dominated by titles like FIFA (now EA Sports FC).

With the debut of eFootball Connect and the arrival of update 4.4.0, the moment seems to be a turning point for the franchise. The question that remains is: will we finally have that long-awaited quality leap since the migration to the new graphics engine?

The answer begins to be given this Wednesday. Stay tuned.