Konami may have thought that it was catering to football enthusiasts by including Diego Maradona in Pro Evolution Soccer 2017. However, there is one person who isn’t happy with the decision: Maradona himself.
A Facebook post from the legendary footballer seems to indicate that Konami didn’t get all the permissions it needed to start work. According to Maradona, he had no idea that the his likeness was being used in the game and has instructed his lawyer to take action against the company.
It’s not easy to permission for players likenesses in video games. There’s a legal minefield when it comes to faces, jerseys, player numbers, and even tattoos. Chances are that Konami thought it had settled everything, but forgot to actually ask the person the face belongs to.
Of course, it could be that this is a simple misunderstanding. And that Maradona wasn’t informed by his agent that he was paid to be included in the game.
