Football fans rejoice as  Konami have today revealed that more teams than ever will be licensed in the latest version of Pro Evolution Soccer.

This year PES 2008 will boast more licenses than ever before, with Brazil, Portugal, Greece, Scotland and Ireland amongst the new officially licensed National teams on offer. Similarly, the roster of licensed club teams has also been bolstered, with Newcastle, Tottenham, RSC Anderlecht, HJK Helsinki, IFK Goteborg, Panathinaicos, Spartak Moscow, Fenerbache, NK Dinamo Zagreb and FC Basel amongst those added to the ranks.

The new licensed club sides join the likes of Juventus Turin, AC Milan, Rangers, Celtic, Porto and more, and demonstrate that Konami’s are going all out to get the fans as many licensed teams as possible. The new teams also combine to ensure PES 2008 has over 3000 licensed players realistically replicated within the game, and over 250 teams.

PES 2008 will mark a quantum leap forward for the Pro Evolution Soccer series. An all-new AI system entitled Teamvision has been designed to actively monitor the player’s onscreen movements and adapt accordingly. This means players cannot resort to overly-familiar tactics, and forces them to change their movements if they are to pose offensive threats. New set pieces have also been implemented, with players selecting key players to receive free kicks, and tailoring defensive walls to their specific needs. Coupled with a massively enhanced aesthetic upgrade that includes facial animation and shirts creasing, plus an extensive edit mode, and PES 2008 is already shaping up to retain its footballing crown.

“Konami has worked hard to bolster the number of licensed clubs in PES 2008, and the new additions represent a huge step forward for the series,” commented Jon Murphy, Pro Evolution Soccer Team Leader for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. “We listen very closely to what people want from the series, and hope these new additions further extend PES 2008’s reputation within both die-hard football fans and newcomers alike.”