FIFA and PES are both soccer games played worldwide. Both games are inspired by the football leagues played all along throughout the years. Only a few sports have seen as dramatic transformations as the beautiful game.
Hit video games like FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) incite intense rivalries both on and off the virtual field.
Key Takeaways
- FIFA, developed by EA Sports, boasts official licenses for clubs, players, and leagues, whereas PES, developed by Konami, has fewer official licenses but compensates with customizable content.
- PES emphasizes realistic gameplay mechanics, focusing on individual player styles and tactics, while FIFA offers a more casual, accessible experience with varied game modes.
- FIFA releases annual updates, maintaining a consistent experience for fans, while PES has shifted to a free-to-play model with seasonal updates called eFootball.
FIFA vs PES
The difference between FIFA and PES is that both games are produced by different entertainment and gaming companies. FIFA was developed by EA Sports, and PES was developed by Konami and now PES productions. The two companies go head to head every year with their new version of their respective games.

Electronic Arts EA Sports publishes FIFA every year, making it one of the most successful football video game series of all time. Since 1993, the FIFA franchise has been refreshed every year.
FIFA Soccer 96 was the first game in the series to feature a real-time 3D play on current-generation consoles. The Guinness Book of World Records declared it to be the best-selling sports video game genre.
PES stands for Pro Evolution Soccer, and it is one of the most successful football video game brands in the world. It was created by Konami and has been released every year since 2001.
This is a football simulation game in which users manage a team and compete in leagues of their choosing. PES is the most widely distributed soccer video game series, having evolved from a Konami series named International Superstar Soccer.
Comparison Table
Parameters of Comparison | FIFA | PES |
---|---|---|
First Release Year | 1994 | 2001 |
Developers | EA Sports | Konami (2001 – 2014) PES Productions – Current |
Video Game Series | International Football Series – FIFA 21 | World Soccer Winning Eleven – ePES 21 |
Current Cover Face of the Game | Kylian Mbappe | Ronaldo and Messi |
Available on | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Stadia. | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android and IOS |
Latest Launch | FIFA 21 | ePES 21 |
What is FIFA?
FIFA is a series of football association video games produced by Electronic Arts and published annually under the EA Sports banner. The FIFA franchise has been translated into 18 languages and is licensed in 51 countries as of 2011.
The FIFA series, which has generated over 325 million copies as of 2021, is included in Guinness World Records as the best-selling sports video game series in the world. It’s also one of the most popular video game series.
The first game in the series, FIFA International Soccer for the Sega Mega Drive, was significant for being the first to receive an official license from FIFA, the international governing body of football, when it was released in late 1993.
Additional editions centred on single major events, such as the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA European Football Championship, and a series of football management games, have been released to accompany the core series.
Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) series has been the franchise’s major competitor since the 1990s.
Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappé is the franchise’s new face, featuring on the front cover and in advertising activities and commercials in FIFA 21. He succeeds Real Madrid’s Eden Hazard, who was featured on the previous cover.
From FIFA 13 through FIFA 16, Lionel Messi was featured on four consecutive covers.

What is PES?
PES, or Pro Evolution Soccer, is a prominent football video game brand produced by Konami and published every year since 2001. This is a football video game in which the players lead a team and compete in leagues of their choosing.
PES is the most widely spread soccer video game series, having evolved from a Konami series named International Superstar Soccer.
In the world of association football, eFootball has long had a rivalry with EA’s FIFA series. After FIFA, eFootball is the second-largest association football video game series, with its rivalry termed the “biggest rivalry” in the history of football video games.
As of December 2020, the eFootball series had sold 111 million copies globally, in addition to 400 million mobile game downloads, making it one of the best-selling popular franchises.
The Pro Evolution Soccer series aspires to be as realistic as possible. As a result, gameplay resembles a regular game of association football, with the user managing either a whole team or a single player, with objectives that follow association football regulations.
Various game modes, such as Kick-Off, Online, and Offline, have been incorporated into the series, providing for gameplay diversity. In addition to these modes, there is an editing option in which the player may correct the series’ biggest flaw: poor license.

Main Differences Between FIFA and PES
- FIFA is a football game developed by EA (Electronic Arts) Sports, and PES has been developed by PES productions since 2013.
- FIFA’s gameplay features more offence side while PES’s gameplay features more defence gaming.
- FIFA has very good animation and graphic quality while PES has a decent amount of graphics.
- FIFA offers more gameplay and more modes to enjoy the game, but PES lags in providing it as FIFA.
- FIFA has more licenses for different football leagues and teams, while PES doesn’t have many licenses.
- FIFA provides a good amount of gameplay experience, but PES provides a better gameplay experience for the players.