Konami Denies That Kojima Has Left, Says he is "on Vacation"
- Thread starter Steven Bogos
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Japanese corporate culture is a strange beast where lifetime employment is considered the norm. It's considered very embarrassing for a Japanese company to publicly admit one of their employees has left the company, especially a prominent one like Kojima. And outright firing someone is a social taboo and also a lot more restricted under Japanese labor law compared to the US. Admitting you fired someone is even more of an embarrassment. Broadly speaking, retirement is the only acceptable way of leaving a company.
Rather, when they want to get rid of someone, they tend to do things like:
- demote them into dead-end jobs or give them much weirder 'promotions' where they get a fancy new title and position that really doesn't mean anything and they just sit on their ass all day, while the company hopes they'll eventually leave on their own out of boredom/frustration.
- or, indeed, force them to go on vacation until their contract runs out, or they become eligible for early retirement and then try to push them into that.
In any case, what's important is that the employee is still officially on the payroll, even if they're really not doing anything for the company anymore.
Rather, when they want to get rid of someone, they tend to do things like:
- demote them into dead-end jobs or give them much weirder 'promotions' where they get a fancy new title and position that really doesn't mean anything and they just sit on their ass all day, while the company hopes they'll eventually leave on their own out of boredom/frustration.
- or, indeed, force them to go on vacation until their contract runs out, or they become eligible for early retirement and then try to push them into that.
In any case, what's important is that the employee is still officially on the payroll, even if they're really not doing anything for the company anymore.
That also seems quite possible.gigastar said:
Well that is hilarious. I'm also on vacation from the country of Zimbabwe. That vacation has so far lasted all my life. Given everything I have heard, I would be very surprised to see Kojima start new major projects with Konami. I could be wrong but this sounds like bull.
The man does not age. I'm convinced he's some form of an immortal being. A perverted, intelligent, awesome artistic immortal.anthony87 said:
Why would Konami want to cover up his leaving? What benefit would that give? I'm sorry, I haven't been following this and the last time I played Metal Gear it was on an NES and 2d. Can somebody fill me in? What motivation would Konami have for lying here? If he was leaving wouldn't it just make good business sense to market the game as Kojima's Finale (or whatever)?
You did, yes. Although for some reason you entitled it "Hideo Kojima Has Officially Left Konami", and followed that by saying "the rumours are true" and that it's "confirmed that Kojima left the Konami offices for the last time on October 9", when what you actually meant was "there are some more rumours claiming that the previous rumours are true". Some people might not consider it the most competent journalism to confuse more rumours with official confirmation of previous rumours.Steven Bogos said:
Actually, it's very likely true.
He's 'on vacation'. Until his contract is up in December. THEN he's gone.
You've never used up your time off when you knew you were leaving a job?
He's 'on vacation'. Until his contract is up in December. THEN he's gone.
You've never used up your time off when you knew you were leaving a job?
Seriously? Do they think we're stupid?
Oh, wait. I know why Konami has no knowledge of Kojima's farewell party. The bosses didn't show up. How could they know about it? And it wasn't a farewell party. It was a "Have a good vacation party". Those are totally common.
Honestly, thinking about it, it almost makes me wonder if the farewell party wasn't officially planned by Konami and instead something the employees did.
Oh, wait. I know why Konami has no knowledge of Kojima's farewell party. The bosses didn't show up. How could they know about it? And it wasn't a farewell party. It was a "Have a good vacation party". Those are totally common.
Honestly, thinking about it, it almost makes me wonder if the farewell party wasn't officially planned by Konami and instead something the employees did.
I am actually inclined to believe that Konami has been living in their own Silent Hill eaque reality for the past year or so and has been perceiving a different reality than we do, everything they say and do gets distorted into some incoherent garbled mess that we cannot comprehend or decipher.
I actually had to google this to check it wasn't a wind-up.anthony87 said:
My god, he's looking good for 52.
Chimpzy said:
Not unique to japan. They have paid vacation over there and if Kojima doesn't sign it off officially, Konami would have to pay out unused days and overtime. Which this industry is notorious for. And Kojima probably doesn't come cheap.
Note: I'm in germany.
I had a job, where i got a complete month off at the end. Because it was cheaper.
Pretty much. They're either trying to fool us or fool themselves. Either way, it's not working.Aeshi said:
If he was ACTUALLY in his late 20s, then he wouldn't have been born yet when Metal Gear was released in '87. XDPunkRex said:
The age matches and is appropriate.