(Left)Rob Manfred, Commissioner of Major League Baseball
(Right)Hideki Hayakawa, Representative Director, President Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. (KONAMI) announces that we have signed a global partnership agreement with MLB (Major League Baseball).
The agreement between KONAMI and MLB is driven to further fan acquisition and promotion of both the video game and baseball.
As part of the partnership, the 2025 MLB Opening Day presented by “eBaseball™: MLB PRO SPIRIT” composite logo will run on MLB.com, MLB Network, MLB social media accounts and MLB media partners.
We also plan to implement various measures in the mobile game “eBaseball™: MLB PRO SPIRIT”.
In “STAR WATCH”, game users will predict and vote for a baseball player based on the theme each month, and they will appear in-game with power-ups based on their performance in the actual games. The MLB official games and the mobile game will be interlocked, and we plan to make this an initiative that will be enjoyed by a wide range of MLB enthusiasts and game fans alike.
We are also planning an in-game event linked to the “All-Star Ballot Voting” to determine who will play in the All-Star Game each July.
Hideki Hayakawa, Representative Director, President commented:
“We are pleased to announce this strategic partnership with the MLB. For over 30 years, we have provided entertaining and immersive baseball video game experiences in Japan and are happy to partner with the league to share those experiences with a greater audience.”
Noah Garden, MLB Deputy Commissioner, Business & Media commented:
“KONAMI has been innovating video games for nearly half a century and entertaining sports fans with their unique offerings for decades, but with this highly integrated partnership we can help take eBaseball™: MLB PRO SPIRIT to another level and deliver a truly outstanding experience for fans. KONAMI’s focus on evolving their consumers’ experience through technology and innovation aligns with our priorities at MLB, making them an ideal partner. We look forward to collaborating throughout the season to promote this fun, new game and highlight our many talented players around the world.”
[About MLB]
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member clubs in the U.S. and Canada, representing the highest level of professional baseball. Led by Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., MLB remains committed to making an impact in the communities of the U.S., Canada and throughout the world, perpetuating the sport's larger role in society and permeating every facet of baseball's business, marketing, community relations and social responsibility endeavors. MLB currently features record levels of competitive balance, continues to expand its global reach through programming and content to fans all over the world, and registered records in games and minutes watched this season on MLB.TV. With the continued success of MLB Network and MLB digital platforms, MLB continues to find innovative ways for its fans to enjoy America's National Pastime and a truly global game.
[About KONAMI’s Baseball Content]
The PAWAPURO series of baseball games began on consoles in 1994. Beloved by fans for over 30 years, it has gone on to become an iconic symbol of Konami Digital Entertainment. Over 26 million copies of titles in the console series have been sold (as of the end of December 2024), while mobile games in the series have been downloaded over 51 million times (as of July 2024). The first title in the Professional Baseball Spirits series, a realistic depiction of baseball, was 2004's "Professional Baseball Spirits 2004." The latest entry, "Professional Baseball Spirits 2024-2025" features the “eBaseball™ Engine,” a next-generation baseball engine that not only provides a variety of player motions, but also immersive 3D sound and smooth play-by-play commentary using the first-ever “voice synthesized AI” to provide an even more immersive experience. Mobile title "Professional Baseball Spirits Ace," released in 2015, has racked up over 60 million downloads (as of the end of February 2025). “eBaseball™: MLB PRO SPIRIT”, a MLB official mobile game, was release on October, 2024.
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