Konami and UEFA to end partnership

After ten years the partnership between UEFA and Konami is coming to an end.

The partnership saw the use of PES within the UEFA Champions League e-sports tournaments and the use of the Champions League within PES itself. But after such a longstanding agreement between the two it’s finally coming to an end. Both parties do seem keen to continue to work together in some way shape or form, at least according to the Marketing director of UEFA events Guy-Laurent Epstein:

Konami has been a strong licensing partner for the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, with our competition brand being heavily featured within the video game and as part of the popular Konami-organised UEFA Champions League e-sports tournaments’. It has been a very cooperative and mutually beneficial partnership. UEFA would like to thank Konami for its tremendous commitment and support to UEFA club competitions for the last decade and we look forward to continuing to work with Konami in the sphere of UEFA national team football.

And the senior director of brand and business for Konami Digital Entertainment Jonas Lygaard:

The UEFA Champions League licence has given us a platform to create unique experiences and provide football fans from all over the world with an opportunity to enjoy this competition first-hand. This year, however, we will shift our focus into other areas. We will continue to explore alternative ways UEFA and Konami can continue to work together, as our relationship remains strong.

What this means for licensing in regards to the future of PES remains unclear, but it’s most likely that Konami will seek new ways of ensuring player likenesses and official team materials in future titles.