What’s Next for the Showtime Skills in eFootball 25 ?

What are Showtime Skills?

Showtime skills are a set of unique player skills that have distinctive effects or impacts during a match and were initially reserved for trending "Showtime Players" , neon-glowing themed background cards with boosted stats. But now, these electrifying skills are starting to appear on legendary cards, such as Del Piero that arrived with the game-changing Blitz Curl skill. This move not only widened the scope of skills available to players but also permanently elevated legendary cards with consistent "B condition", making them much more reliable than Showtime Players whose performance shifts weekly with live ratings.

These “Showtime Skills” include :

• Fortress: Improves player’s defensive abilities after the second half mark, as long as the team has a goal advantage
• Game Changing Pass: Improves player’s passing abilities after the second half kickoff, under the circumstances that the team is either drawing or losing.
• Visionary Pass: Increases the accuracy of first-time ball controls, one-touch passes, and one-touch finishes of players who receive passes from the holder of this player skill.
• Momentum Dribbling: Improves player’s dribbling abilities in the attacking third (deep in opposition territory)
• Edged Crossing: Enables the player to put in vertically rotating crosses that fall sharply.
• Blitz Curler: Enables the player to hit a Controlled Shot that falls sharply.
• Phenomenal Finishing: Increases the power and accuracy of finishing shots attempted from unorthodox body positions.
• Phenomenal Pass: Increases the power and accuracy of passes attempted from unorthodox body positions.
• Bullet Header: Enables player to take a sharp headed attempt towards goal. Also enables the player to find a finish with his head even from awkward positions or when off balance.

These are just some of the dynamic Showtime skills you'll see across an expanding roster of players- and the excitement they bring has gamers debating the line between skill and spectacle.

The Debate: Gimmick or Game-Changer?

While these skills can make certain players feel absolutely BROKEN, there's ongoing debate in the community about their real impact. Unlike ordinary skills, Showtime skills don't update a player's core stats, so their effects aren't always visible in action. And it's true - some skills , like Edged Crossing, Blitz Curler, and Bullet Header , have noticeable animations, giving them that wow factor. But others, like Game Changing Pass, leave fans scratching their heads, wondering if they're really making a difference.

Enjoy this clip of F. Chiesa utilizing the fan favourite 'Blitz Curl' to score beautiful goals.

For instance, players have tested Game Changing Pass on Showtime stars like Rodri and Bellingham only to find mixed results-opponents can intercept passes just as easily, which can feel like a letdown. This has led some to label these skills as "pay-to-win", since they're locked behind premium or limited-edition players, not attainable through skill trainer upgrades.

Squad Photo: @jee_pes (Instagram)

What direction is Konami going with this feature?

Konami seems to have found a winning formula with these skills, rolling them out on Epic Cards in addition to Showtime Players. This trend has recently brought us legends like Samuel Eto'o and Denis Law with Phenomenal Finishing, while players like Del Piero and Dennis Bergkamp sporting the Blitz Curler move. The steady integration of these skills onto Epic Cards with stable conditions and ratings has allowed Konami to build a unique system that adds value for players while aligning with their business goals.