Reviving the Joy of Football Games
Growing Up with Football Games
I’ve been playing football games for as long as I can remember. As a 23-year-old guy from the Balkans, I grew up spending entire days and nights playing football games with my cousins and friends, mostly on the PS1 and PS2.
The State of Football Simulations Today
With all the modernization and insane improvements to game engines, physics, and graphics over the years, I kept thinking we’d finally get the ultimate football simulation. Instead, it feels like we’re getting further away from it.
I’m talking about eFootball and EA FC, of course. I honestly can’t remember the last time I actually enjoyed playing either of them.
KONAMI announcing they’d rebrand PES into eFootball was the beginning of the end. PES was legendary. It always tried to push the boundaries, giving players that authentic football feel. And now? It’s just a hollow imitation of FIFA/EA FC.
I remember playing PES 2006 as a kid on the PS2, thinking, “Wow, if this is how good it is now, imagine what it’ll be like in 10 years!” Well, it did get better—for a while. Up until 2021, at least.
FIFA, or EA FC as it’s called now, isn’t any better. Ever since they introduced Ultimate Team, it’s turned into a glorified gambling simulator. The focus has shifted entirely to money-grabbing mechanics, and career mode, the one thing I used to enjoy, feels like an afterthought.
What Made PES Special
Back in the day, PES gave us Master League and Be A Legend, where you could build your own football world. You could customize teams, players, kits, logos—everything. That level of control and creativity made PES stand out.
But then KONAMI saw how much money EA was making and decided to copy them. They stopped making offline modes, introduced their own shady online-focused systems, and even limited modding. The result? eFootball—probably the worst football game to ever exist.
Let’s Talk Solutions
Do you miss playing an actual football game? Whether it’s local matches with friends or creating your own fantasy football world, where you manage your favorite team, win all the trophies, and live the dream?
If your answer is yes, then let me tell you: PES 2021 is still alive.
Even though KONAMI abandoned the series, many people still own the game. And if you don’t? This is where Smokepatch comes in.
What is Smokepatch?
Smokepatch is a Palestinian group that’s been keeping PES 2021 alive. Ever since KONAMI killed the series, they’ve been patching and modding the game to keep it updated. They’ve added:
- New gameplay tweaks
- Updated graphics and kits
- Modern game modes
- Player faces, tattoos, and even stadiums
How to Get Started
Here’s how you can get back to playing real football:
- Download Smokepatch (links are available on their website via Mediafire and MEGA).
- Unzip the files and run the installer.
- Install optional updates or mods for even more customization.
My Favorite Add-Ons
These are the mods I’m currently using to make my game even better:
- Megapatch Face Collection V5
- Ultimate Atmosphere
- The Stadiums Addon shared by the guy making this post
- Reshade Addon from the same guy
- REAL PES Gameplay
Wrapping Up
Look, it’s not perfect—it never will be, thanks to engine limitations. But Smokepatch has taken PES 2021 and turned it into the closest thing we’ve got to a proper football simulation.
At the time of writing this, FL Megapatch, a modpack built on top of Smokepatch, is being updated. Once it’s out, I’ll update this post.
Gameplay Footage
Check out some gameplay footage to see what your PES 2021 could look and feel like.