Konami Digital Entertainment annouced that WBSC eBASEBALL™: POWER PROS has been appointed as one of the titles for the Olympic Esports Series 2023, hosted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The Olympic Esports Series 2023 is a global virtual and simulated sports competition, created by the IOC, and in collaboration with International Federations and game publishers. Nine sports have been selected to take part in the competition, and WBSC eBASEBALL™: POWER PROS will be used for the baseball competition.
Each sport will begin the qualification round this March, and the finals will take place at Singapore’s Suntec Centre 22 - 25 June, as highlight of the Olympic Esports Week 2023.
<David Lappartient, Chair of the IOC Esports Liaison Group Comment>
“The Olympic Movement brings people together in peaceful competition. The Olympic Esports Series 2023 is a continuation of that, with the ambition of creating more spaces to play for both players and fans of elite competition. We look forward to witnessing some of the world’s best compete on the global stage, as well as explore together, shared opportunities and lessons - across health and wellbeing, training, and innovation”.
<WBSC Executive Director Michael Schmidt Comment>
“We are delighted for baseball to be part of this new Olympic experience and to again be partnering with one of the world’s leading gaming publishers, KONAMI, to deliver a world-class eSports competition for baseball. The WBSC realizes the huge potential of eSports for engaging new audiences, and we continue to work tirelessly to develop and innovate in this space. We are ready to bring the very best of virtual baseball to the Olympic Esports Series and the Finals in Singapore through this exciting new IOC event.”
<Konami Digital Entertainment Representative Director, President Hideki Hayakawa Comment>
“We are delighted to be able to contribute to the promotion of baseball through our participation in IOC’s Olympic Esports Series. KONAMI is always a proud supporter of development within the WBSC eBASEBALL™ community. By collaborating with the WBSC in their vision to raise the influence of eBASEBALL™ and baseball and softball community globally, KONAMI will continue to promote and support the sustainable development of eBASEBALL™ with the WBSC.”
Konami Digital Entertainment will continue to promote baseball and softball and the sustainable development of the sport through our participation in the Olympic Esports Series 2023.
【About KONAMI’s Baseball Content】
The PAWAPURO series of baseball games began on consoles in 1994. Beloved by fans for over 25 years, it has gone on to become an iconic symbol of Konami Digital Entertainment. Over 24.4 million copies of titles in the console series have been sold (as of the end of December 2022), while mobile games in the series have been downloaded over 48 million times (as of October 2022).
The first title in the Professional Baseball Spirits series, a realistic depiction of baseball, was 2004's "Professional Baseball Spirits 2004." The latest entry, "eBaseball Professional Baseball Spirits 2021: Grand Slam," offers an incredibly realistic baseball experience. It uses 3D scanning technology that photographs actual pro baseball players from 360 degrees and recreates them in-game with stunning accuracy, as well as laser scanning technology that captures baseball stadiums down to the finest detail. Mobile title "Professional Baseball Spirits Ace," released in 2015, has racked up over 40 million downloads. In addition, it is the competition title for the 2021 season of eBaseball ProSpi A League, a professional baseball esports league launched by Nippon Professional Baseball and Konami Digital Entertainment.