Winning Eleven 8 going online in Japan

TOKYO--Konami revealed last weekend that it will release an online edition of its popular Winning Eleven soccer game series in Japan. Titled Winning Eleven 8: Liveware Evolution, the game will be released for the PlayStation 2 on March 3.

Winning Eleven 8: Liveware Evolution, as the name may suggest, will be based on Winning Eleven 8, with a number of new enhancements. The game will include a total of 20 teams (with the addition of the Serie A team Fiorentina, of Italy). Information on soccer players will be updated from the latest rosters, and the game will include additional stadiums that will appear with their real-life names.

Online players with the PlayStation BB Unit will be able to install the game onto the unit's hard drive. In addition to competing in exhibition matches, players will be able to participate in different online competitions held by Konami. The game slots players into five different divisions, based on their number of accumulated wins. Winning Eleven 8: Liveware Evolution will also feature all the basic communication functions expected in an online game, such as chatting and messaging.