Arsenal have announced an official partnership with video game company, Konami.
The Japanese game company are the developers behind the Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) series, the popular football game that is seen as the number one competitor to the FIFA video game series.
The deal between the North London club and Konami means that the likeliness and behaviours of Arsenal players will be more accurate in PES 2018. This year’s instalment of the Pro Evolution Series has been praised for its stunning visuals, fluid and fun gameplay, and realistic player models.
A professional relationship
In a statement released by Konami's senior director of brand and business development Jonas Lygaard, Lygaard said: "We are determined to work with the very best clubs football has to offer and are delighted to partner with Arsenal.
"The relationship we formed last year has gone from strength to strength, most notably when Emirates Stadium played host to the PES League World Final. As such, we were keen to work even closer with such a highly regarded club and the new agreement will allow us to perfectly recreate and feature Emirates Stadium, and the club’s many stars, within PES 2018."
Arsenal are not the first Premier League team to strike a partnership with Konami. Liverpool announced a deal with the company in August 2016, and AC Milan confirmed a partnership with Konami just over two weeks ago.
‘We look forward to getting started’
Chief commercial officer at Arsenal, Vinai Venkatesham, expressed his delight about agreeing a deal with the Japanese gaming company in a statement released on the Gunners’ official website.
Venkatesham said: "Our working relationship with Konami to date has been extremely successful from a licensing perspective and we are delighted to extend this and welcome them as an official partner. We look forward to getting started in the next phase of our relationship with Konami and creating some fun and exciting content that both Arsenal and wider football fans will enjoy.”