But it was with some grim inevitablity that it eventually lost even that license to FIFA in 2018. PES was left with a game that its hardcore still loved, but an overall presentation that did little to pull fans away from its biggest rival. At the time, Senior Brand Director Jonas Lygaard promised that Konami and PES would "shift focus into other areas." Back then, it felt like papering over the cracks FIFA's dominance was leaving behind – but time has proven that Konami did in fact have some major licensing plans of its own.