Konami Reacts to To Diego Maradona's Legal Threats
Apr 6, 2017, by Chris
Diego Maradona wrote on Facebook that he wanted to "initiate legal actions" against Pro Evolution Soccer publisher Konami for using his likeness last week. Today, Konami has issued a response.
Konami Release Statement Regarding The Use of Maradona's Image
Konami's Tokyo put out the following 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 player] appropriately, with the basis of the license within the contract.
Maradona appears as one of the "Legends" in PES 2017's myClub mode. Older PES games hid Maradona's likeness with fictional names, but the latest iteration of PES certainly does not.
It seems like that Konami relies on their exclusive contract with Barcelona, which allow them to put classic Barcelona kits as well as Barcelona legends in the game. Maradona, who played from 1982-1984 for the Spanish giants, is the highest rated player in PES.
What do you think of Konami's response to Maradona? Let us know in the comments below.
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