Kojima Out At Konami? ‘Metal Gear Solid V’ May Be His Last
Could Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima be on the outs with Konami? Something is happening at the company, as Kojima’s name and other items are disappearing from the upcoming game’s promotions and now one source claims that Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC will be his last with Konami.
The changes were first noticed by the denizens of NeoGAF after the official Kojima Productions Twitter account announced that all Metal Gear Solid V updates would be coming from another account.
MGS fans! We’re officially moving accounts to: @metalgear_en Follow us now and don’t miss out on all the latest news! http://t.co/IrqnUOKYds
— Kojima Pro Live (@Kojima_Pro_Live) March 19, 2015
Further digging revealed that Konami was busily removing Kojima’s name everywhere, including from the Legacy Collection and Ground Zeroes. The Kojima Production studio in Los Angeles was renamed to Konami Los Angeles Studio, for example, and the Kojima Pro website now redirects to the Metal Gear Solid website. Konami’s list of corporate officers no longer included the legendary game designer as the “Executive Content Officer.” Additionally, Kojima’s name is being pulled from all marketing material for Metal Gear Solid V.
According to a source with GameSpot, Kojima and Konami have had a falling out. This incident is significant enough that staff on Metal Gear Solid V has had their corporate internet, emails, and phone restricted, with some senior staff changes from permanent employees to contractors. “After we finish MGSV, Mr. Kojima and upper management will leave Konami. They said their contract ends in December,” GameSpot’s source claimed. The person added: “At a team meeting, Mr Kojima explained that [the] team have to be one and make a good game for fans.”
Heading off. pic.twitter.com/JWyh4DbeIY”
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) March 16, 2015
Konami has responded to the changes, somewhat.
“As we have already announced, we are shifting our production structure to a headquarters-controlled system, in order to establish a steadfast operating base capable of responding to the rapid market changes that surround our digital entertainment business,” the company said in a statement issued to Eurogamer.
The company also told Video Gamer, “Konami Digital Entertainment, including Mr. Kojima, will continue to develop and support Metal Gear products. Please look forward to future announcements.”
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is scheduled for a September 1 release, as Inquisitr reported. In a video that accompanied the announcement, Kojima said that he’s “finally closing the loop on that saga. In that sense, this will be the final Metal Gear Solid. To me, this is the last Metal Gear.”
[Images via Metal Gear Solid, Xbox Achievements]
