Konami has announced a new e-football game with the title Kick-off!which will be released on Nintendo Switch 2 this summer. The rebranded series has never been developed for the Nintendo Switch 2 before, nor have previous entries been ported to the platform, making this the first time Konami's flagship soccer game has come to a Nintendo console as e-football.
The news about Kick-off! comes as Nintendo confirms the anime-style soccer game Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters for the original switch. Both games will be released around the same time, but they have very different approaches to the sport. World Fighters leans towards fantasy and over-the-top action, while Konami's Kick-off! focuses on a realistic soccer experience.
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Revealed during the Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase in February, eFootball Kick Off! is the latest entry in the franchise built exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2. Coming out in the summer of 2026, Kick-off! has multiple modes, with key highlights including the World Tour and International Cup. As expected, Kick-off! will also support offline and online competitive play, allowing fans of football games to meet friends just like before e-football titles.
Some longtime fans have noticed that the trailer for Kick-off! shows a version that seems more compressed than the full free-to-play e-football games on other platforms. With several modes apparently missing, they suggest that the upcoming spin-off could be a streamlined experience designed specifically for the Nintendo Switch 2. That said, players will have to wait for more information to see if Kick-off! can be a scaled-down experience.
Fans want to know about kick-off! Will be a free game
Another point that still needs to be clarified is whether eFootball Kick Off! will be a paid or free game on Nintendo Switch 2. Fans are likely aware that e-football series has followed a free-to-play model since 2021, when it moved on from Pro Evolution Soccer. Now Switch 2 owners are wondering if Konami will stick with that approach on the new console or charge for this latest entry.
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There has been no official confirmation either way, but some believe the launch Kick-off! as a paid game would be a big mistake. First, the game doesn't look noticeably different from the free-to-play version in terms of graphics or gameplay. Beyond that, it would be hard to justify charging players on a single platform for a product that remains free on almost every other system.
One thing Switch 2 soccer fans should be aware of is that the International Cup mode is coming as DLC rather than being available at launch. Many see this as a sign that the base game could be free-to-play, with Konami encouraging spending through microtransactions rather than charging upfront for the game itself.
For those not in the know, the International Cup is the in-game equivalent of the real-life FIFA World Cup. With the next tournament taking place jointly in the US, Canada and Mexico, Konami may want to take advantage of the timing by offering a similar mode in Kick-off!. That said, fans will have to wait for more official details.
Based on the game's trailer, eFootball Kick Off! appears to be a digital exclusive on the Nintendo Switch 2.
It has already been confirmed that e-football spin-off will launch in the summer of 2026 on the Nintendo Switch 2. However, some fans speculate that the release could land in June, in line with when the actual FIFA World Cup competitions start. That said, Konami has usually rolled out its annual e-football updates in August or September in recent years, which also remains a possible window for the release of Kick-off!.
- Released
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30 September 2021
- ESRB
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E For all due to mild language
