FIFA is the best-selling football simulation game, though Pro Evolution Soccer has been working to close the gap in sales and reviews for more than a decade. PES 2020, or to give its full title eSports Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 was released a month ahead of FIFA 2020 in the battle to see who would be the bestseller since few players buy both games.
FIFA 2020
FIFA 2020 has introduced more realistic movement by players on the pitch, with improvements to make the physics of the ball in play more realistic. The ability to stop a ball dead at your feet, roll it a bit, do a stepover then blast past a slow defender is a great improvement in the game.
If you want to take on the role of manager, FIFA 2020 includes international scouting and a new contract negotiation system, which plays out with agents in a wonderfully tense cinematic environment.
FIFA 2020 Ultimate Team
The fan-favorite Ultimate Team mode in the FIFA franchise, first introduced in FIFA 09, allows players to build their dream teams and play against others online. Players can also buy packs or use coins earned in the game in what could be seen as flat betting. In some European countries, these loot boxes and microtransactions are or will soon be regulated under gambling laws.
PES 2020
PES 2020 also has more realistic gameplay from earlier iterations. There is a new camera angle which provides the sense that you are watching a live game, with a Finesse Dribble system that gives the best players an edge since they can get past defenders like Messi an extra edge as they can now weave their way past defenders better than ever before, which helps as Artificial Intelligence has significantly improved the defense.
PES2020 has an intriguing new ‘miss-kicks’ element that adds player errors that would happen in real life, which means actions need to be more carefully considered and less simple and direct as previously, making it a better replication of the game.
Which game is better for you?
Here are a few additional points from our friends at joker123 to help you decide whether FIFA 2020 or PES 2020 suits you better
Graphics
For the first time, PES has surpassed FIFA in the graphics of player models. The developers at PES were given access to full-body scans of players from some of the biggest teams including Juventus, Manchester United, and Barcelona which has led to an extremely accurate recreation of their look.
Licenses
FIFA has more licenses which is why it is a better seller than PES. With the loss of the Champions League to FIFA, the fear was that the competitor would go under. PES fought back, gaining exclusive rights to Euro 2020 and in a separate deal Juventus from EA Sports, but FIFA 2020 was always going to sell more copies than PES 2020 because of the increased number of licenses.
Conclusion
The choice between FIFA 20 or PES 2020 is going to be based solely on personal preference. PES 2020 could persuade some players to switch who are looking for a more tactical experience, but those who already enjoy the Ultimate Team and the arcade feel of FIFA will be happy to stick with what they know.