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Konami Responds To Legal Threats

Konami has today issued a statement to the accusations that they used sporting legends likeness without permission.

As we reported on April 1, Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona has accused Konami of using his virtual likeness in Pro Evolution 2017 and has threatened legal action.

Konami’s Tokyo headquarters has today put out a statement: “At this time, there have been news that in Winning Eleven 2017 (international title: PES 2017 Pro Evolution Soccer) there is one player that is being used without permission; however, our company is using [this character] appropriately, with the basis of the license within the contract.”

Previous versions in the PES series have disguised Maradona behind a fictional name, but Maradona appears as one of the “Legends” in PES 2017‘s myClub mode.

Written by John

I'm a 36-year-old gamer, clinging onto the gamepad despite real life responsibilities trying to pull me kicking and screaming away. You can follow me on Twitter: @johnlevelsup.

Current setup: Gaming PC with a 1080 Ti, Xbox Series X, Steam Deck, and retro consoles, on a Gigabyte M32Q monitor, sitting on a Flexispot E7 standing desk.