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There’s a been an unlikely turnaround in the relationship between Argentine football legend Maradona and PES publisher Konami.
Just last month the pair were embroiled in a public row over likeness rights, but now it seems that a long-term partnership has been forged.
Kotaku reports that not only have the pair settled out of court (with an agreement which sees Maradona paid for the use of his likeness), but also that the sporting legend has agreed to act as ambassador for the game until 2020.
Apparently Konami president Takayuki Kubo flew out to Argentina to meet Maradona personally. The footballer has also agreed to donate part of his fee to improving grassroots football in the country.
Maradona last monthtook to Facebookto accuse Konami of ripping off his likeness in PES 2017. The player appears as part of the game’s classic player roster, with his likeness and skills reflecting him from back in his Hand of God glory days. He’s available for players of PES’s MyClub online mode.
I heard yesterday that the Japanese company Konami uses my image for its game PES 2017,” Maradona wrote. Unfortunately, my lawyer Matias Morla will initiate the corresponding legal actions. I hope this is not another scam…”
Morla himself addedvia Twitter, as translated by Google: [PES 2017] used in an illegal way the figure and name of Maradona… we will take action against Konami with everything.”
Konami denied that it had breached any likeness contracts, tellingKotaku: At this time, there has 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.”
Classic players have been a feature of PES for many years and typically featured as an optional extra in the Master League mode.
