Konami has confirmed that it will not be renewing the licenses for Italian giants AC Milan and FC Internazionale Milano for future games in the Pro Evolution Soccer series. Despite this news, depictions of the two Italian clubs and their players in eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 will not be affected.
The Japanese developer has stated that the clubs were strong advocates for the PES series and has wished them all the best in the future. Acquired myClub players from the two clubs can still be used as normal in-game.
Konami released two separate statements regarding the license losses, asking fans to wait for announcements regarding future games in the PES series. It will be interesting to see if any new clubs will be licensed after Manchester United, Bayern Munich, and Juventus signed partnerships with the game.
PES' main competitor is EA's FIFA, to the point of a charity event being disrupted by this rivalry. It can be assumed that the licenses for AC Milan and Internazionale have been snapped up by FIFA on exclusive deals similar to Juventus' own exclusive agreement with PES.
Konami has historically had conflict with other companies, including the previous entry in the PES series, Pro Evolution Soccer 2019, being replaced in the PS Plus lineup. It has even had issues with individuals, with Diego Maradona having considered legal action against the Japanese developer.
In the meantime, fans of PES can enjoy free DLC based around the rescheduled 2020 UEFA European Football Championship, including 55 licensed national teams and the official tournament ball. The rivalry between PES and FIFA looks to heat up with the advent of the next generation of consoles, with EA announcing free next-gen upgrades for FIFA 21.
eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Source: Konami