In a soccer sports video game world dominated by FIFA, many thought that the longtime Konami football franchise Pro Evolution Soccer would fade into oblivion as the new console generation dawned. While PES once dominated the landscape more than a decade ago, FIFA has since completely overtaken it in terms of sales numbers and market awareness.

Yet something quite amazing had happened. Little by little, PES has mounted a major comeback. Buoyed by wonderful, smooth gameplay and new revenue-generating in-game modes that allow it to compete more successfully on financial terms, PES has aggressively pursued other avenues as well. Rich and Bryan discuss the multiple ways that PES has emerged recently, why it is so beloved, and what it means for the overall sports video game landscape.