New PES To Include AFC Champions League

Last season, PES was a revelation, a super-playable genuine contender to the crown of best footy game on the planet. You may remember it had a few cool licenced bits that FIFA could only dream of – such as the Copa Libertadores.

Well chaps, Konami have gone and done it again – as we have learned today from Jon Murphy’s Twitter feed that the forthcoming PES is to include the AFC Champions League, the super-interesting pan-Asian (and Australasian!) tourney which should throw up some never-before-seen (in PES anyway) matchups. It is another tasty inclusion which means that I am looking forward to the next installment of the series immensely.

You can see a snap from the “signing ceremony”, which took place in Dubai, over at Murphy’s Twitter feed (@JonMurphy_PES), or below, as we’ve grabbed the pic.

[nggallery id=1453]

Update: We’ve received official word from Konami on the matter.

“The acquisition of such a high-profile license such as the AFC Champions League is integral to our ambitious plans for the Pro Evolution Soccer series,” commented Shinji Hirano, President for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. “We look forward to a long and successful partnership with the Asian Football Confederation, as we look to bring the passion and skill of the AFC Champions League to vivid life.”

“Konami is rightly regarded as the leader in the field of football video games and their expertise and enthusiasm shines through,” commented Dr. Hafez Al Medlej, Chairman of the Asian Football Confederation Marketing Committee. “We are very excited to see the AFC Champions League integrated into the acclaimed Pro Evolution Soccer series, and foresee a long, close and mutually beneficial partnership for us both.”