Messi cleans up PES 2009

There's nothing quite like the annual reveal of a new sports game cover star. The US goes crazy over each Madden, with this year's star Brett Favre causing much of a storm due to his recently-retired status. There was even more of a kerfuffle when he came back to the game and moved to the New York Jets, only to remain in his Green Bay Packers strip for the Madden game. But on most occassions, a game's choice of athlete acts as a barometer for the current state of the sport--a chance for the publisher to show off its sporting nous, and for an up-and-coming star to prove that they've actually made it.

For this year's Pro Evolution Soccer, Konami has selected Argentinian star Lionel Messi to represent its best-selling football sim. Despite sharing a first name with ex-Commodores crooner Lionel Ritchie, Messi is something of a prodigy on the pitch, having become the youngest player ever to appear in the Spanish premier league.

Following a healthy amount of criticism for last year's game, the 2009 edition of Pro Evo will feature a new graphical update as well as the requisite improvements to moves and controls. Messi will adorn the PS3, Xbox 360, PC, PS2 and PSP versions of the game this Autumn, and the Wii version in Spring 2009.

19 Comments

  • sharpdolphins

    Posted Dec 11, 2008 12:35 am GMT

    hey guys i am the messi lolz this year the game of konami is the best and specially my favourite star messi he is amazing and the speed of this man is more then christiano ranaldo. thanks konami for the pes 2009.

  • DJMorpheme

    Posted Oct 15, 2008 6:30 am GMT

    This game will be great. Messi is GOD so they can't go wrong.

  • akinbohun

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 9:25 am GMT

    I am happy that messi is on the cover of pro 09 he is my favourite player in the world,but i think fifa 09 will be better pro 09 but who knows they are both good game.

  • Lucas-Kane

    Posted Aug 15, 2008 4:32 pm GMT

    Well .thats GOOD news to Hear ... I love MeSSi ... so . it doesn't matter who appear in the Game's Cover ,, an example .. look when they put Cristiano Ronaldo on the cover of PES2008 .. the game has been Terrible !! so whats the Point except for Advertisements Startegy !!

  • TBSMookfisher

    Posted Aug 14, 2008 7:35 pm GMT

    Bojan Kirkjc is the youngest player to play in the Spanish League, not Messi.

  • chocolate1325

    Posted Aug 11, 2008 4:35 pm GMT

    I was dissapointed with the last 2 games but I am hopeful it will deliver this time on the next gen consoles.

  • jcloverboy

    Posted Aug 8, 2008 1:55 pm GMT

    PES has better cover athletes the last two years (Ronaldo + now Messi), but FIFA has been the better game recently.

  • lilpots86

    Posted Aug 8, 2008 4:38 am GMT

    Pes has always been a footballers football game. If u want glitz and glamour with no substance in a footie game this year Fifa 08 awaits. i mean come on, be a pro, lol, sounds like their running out of ideas. Agreed Pes 2008 was a measley upgrade, but millions still bought it because it has substance and feels right ie the build up play and thought that goes into beating Barcelona in the final of the European Championships( and no i dont mean on the easiest or default setting) PES 2009 will blow Fifa outta the water!!!

  • macacd

    Posted Aug 8, 2008 2:46 am GMT

    I want indoor football!

  • -Intellectual-

    Posted Aug 8, 2008 1:23 am GMT

    PES >>>>> FIFA
    I play both iterations every year and when it comes to sharp controls, accuracy and dribbling then Pro Evo is much better than Fifa. Who cares about licensed names and teams ? You can change the name of your team manually in Pro Evo.

  • chechak7

    Posted Aug 7, 2008 8:17 pm GMT

    PES is best football game ever and missi is good player can't wait

  • alz619

    Posted Aug 7, 2008 5:05 pm GMT

    bout time

  • shadystxxx

    Posted Aug 7, 2008 2:55 pm GMT

    Will Konami finally open up the purse strings and give Pro Evo the next gen budget it should have got in 2006, will they finally build a next gen engine for pro evo.

    Or will they continue to rip there fans off with a souped up ps2 version they like the last two.

  • waraga

    Posted Aug 7, 2008 12:45 pm GMT

    super dupa hope this one will not be a disappointment like the 2008 version

  • hector1313

    Posted Aug 7, 2008 10:52 am GMT

    It's been poor since it's fifth incarnation.

  • Taegre

    Posted Aug 7, 2008 10:02 am GMT

    I don't know why I eagerly opened this article expecting news on a new Elder Scrolls game in 2009.

  • TX360

    Posted Aug 7, 2008 9:56 am GMT

    PES FTW!!!

  • macacd

    Posted Aug 7, 2008 7:10 am GMT

    I really do hope that this PES is a real next gen edition. The previous 2 were poor to say the least.

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