The WBSC has launched the eBaseball Series to crown an eBaseball world champion ©WBSC

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) has launched an eBaseball Series through a partnership with Japanese entertainment company Konami.

The WBSC eBaseball Series is set to feature weekly tournaments on WBSC eBaseball Power Pros, the latest version of which was released earlier this year and featured at the International Olympic Committee's inaugural Olympic Esports Week in Singapore in June.

It began with an exhibition match between Japan's eBaseball plater Yuki Yoshida and Chinese Taipei Baseball Association eBaseball Open winner Li Zechao at the Tokyo Game Show, and a weekly WBSC Open is set to begin on Monday (September 25) through to October 1.

A second WBSC Open is scheduled for October 9 to 15, with the winners of the two tournaments facing off on October 22 for one of the four places in the WBSC eBaseball Series World Finals.

A place is also available through a playoff between the winners of next month's Finland Baseball Softball Cup and Italian Baseball Softball Federation Cup, the USA eBaseball Finals for which players can qualify through the USA eBaseball Cup, and a wildcard entry.

At the Finals on a date still to be decided, a first-ever WBSC eBaseball world champion is set to be crowned.

The Series is set to expand next year with the creation of an ePremier12 live event in Japan's capital Tokyo in November, to be held during the ePremier12 between the 12 highest-ranked men's baseball teams.

World eBaseball champions due set to be crowned on the field along with the winners of the ePremier12, and their name inscribed at the WBSC headquarters in Lausanne.

WBSC chief executive Michael Schmidt hailed the launch of the eBaseball Series as an important step in the governing body's growing ties with esports.

"We are embarking on an extraordinary journey that redefines the landscape of sports and entertainment," he said.

"The WBSC eBaseball Series and ePremier12 are a testament to our commitment to innovation, and it is thanks to our partnership with Konami and our proven synergies that we can find the strength to keep moving forward in our esport journey."

WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari was earlier this month appointed to the IOC's first Esports Commission, chaired by International Cycling Union and French National Olympic and Sports Committee President David Lappartient.