Report: Kojima Productions to Disband After Metal Gear Solid V

[Steven Bogos]

Report: Kojima Productions to Disband After Metal Gear Solid V

Internal power struggles between Kojima Productions and Konami reportedly mean key members will be leaving following Metal Gear Solid V's launch.

the greatest reputation [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/konami] as a publisher in the gaming industry, and now, an internal power struggle between it and Kojima Productions - the folks behind the Metal Gear series - may lead to the entire studio disbanding, and Hideo Kojima himself taking his ball and going home.

According to an inside source who spoke to GameSpot [http://www.gamespot.com/articles/kojima-expected-to-leave-konami-after-mgs5-inside-/1100-6426024/] on the condition of anonymity, the publisher has been forced to make drastic changes to the Kojima Productions staff, including amending the employee status of its Metal Gear team. Some senior staff at the studio, including Kojima, now essentially work as contractors, not permanent employees, whose contracts are set to expire upon the launch of Metal Gear Solid V.

"After we finish MGSV, Mr. Kojima and upper management will leave Konami. They said their contract ends in December," the source claimed. "At a team meeting, Mr Kojima explained that [despite this] the team has to be one and make a good game for fans."

Even Konami itself appears to be preparing itself for Kojima's departure. The publisher has begun removing the Kojima Productions logo from all official Metal Gear art, as well as any Kojima Productions branding from Metal Gear website [https://twitter.com/Kojima_Pro_Live/status/578473094995542016], and even the LA office listing.

Kojima has also reportedly had his communications privileges restricted, and is being blocked from attending media events to promote his upcoming game.

Konami had only the following official statement to offer when reached for comment: "Konami Digital Entertainment, including Mr. Kojima, will continue to develop and support Metal Gear products. Please look forward to future announcements."

I guess Kojima wasn't kidding when he said Metal Gear Solid V will be the last one [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/140009-Metal-Gear-Solid-V-to-be-The-Last-Metal-Gear-Solid-Says-Kojima].

Source: GameSpot [http://www.gamespot.com/articles/kojima-expected-to-leave-konami-after-mgs5-inside-/1100-6426024/]

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[Saltyk]

So, if this happens, I'm guessing Konami keeps Metal Gear and Kojima, the man who freaking made it what it is, gets nothing. That's sort of what it sounds like with the statement that Konami is removing Kojima's logos and branding from Metal Gear media.

I can't help but think Konami is making a mistake here. Kojima, love him or not, is one of the rock stars of game development. Literally everyone knows who he is.

Konami, please don't do like Capcom and become horrible while treating your franchises like garbage. You've already let Suikoden fall by the wayside.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

So when he is out on his own, he will make Not-Metal Gear?

 

[Sniper Team 4]

You've already let Suikoden fall by the wayside.

Noooooo! There is still hope! As long as I still breathe, there is still hope that Suikoden VI will show up...! Yes, denial is a very nice place to be, thank you.

On this actual subject, I do like the quote that, despite all of this, Kojima is still saying that the game needs to be good, not just made, for the fans. Developers could learn a lot from that type of attitude I think.

 

[seditary]

So I look forward to a 'Fuck Konami' easter egg in MGSV somewhere.

Also what happens to Silent Hills?

 

[CrossGuard]

I just hope this doesn't impact the quality of the game, or any content Kojima might have wanted to include in it. I remember one time he said he would be forced to leave the industry if MGSV was deemed too controversial. Hoping this is unrelated.

 

[Irridium]

I suppose this means the Kojima and Guillermo Del Toro-led Silent Hills game won't be happening as well. Fuck.

At this point Metal Gear is their only gaming property that actually makes them money. Why they would try to oust Kojima and his team like this, I can't imagine. Jealousy maybe? I don't know.

 

[Shadefyre]

I guess that's the end of Silent Hills then. It's a pretty dumb move on Konami's part, since Metal Gear was one of the few things left in their stable that was still making them money. It'll come back to bite them when they squeeze out a Kojima-less Metal Gear a year after 5 comes out and it bombs.

 

[Revnak_v1legacy]

I hope Kojima keeps making games. I don't care where, I don't care how, I don't care what about, I just want him to keep making games.

 

[mysecondlife]

So, Kojima is to Big Boss and Konami is to U.S. government?

 

[mysecondlife]

On this actual subject, I do like the quote that, despite all of this, Kojima is still saying that the game needs to be good, not just made, for the fans. Developers could learn a lot from that type of attitude I think.

Talk about morale breaker though.. Knowing that there won't be a job after this game..

 

[Ryan Hughes]

I've said it everywhere else, so I might as well say it here, too:

No one knows what this means. The GameSpot article is a single-source article. . . which really should not fly at all, guys. Though the other parts of whats been reported are obviously true, it could mean anything, and it really is far too early to tell. There are only two things we know:

1: Corporate structure at Konami is changing. We have known this was coming for awhile, as anyone can see by going over the company's financials that KDE -while financially stable- is not as strong as it used to be. Thus, this is largely a reconstruction of the corporate structure prior to the 2003 structure change, which largely outsourced development to third-parties. This is why the new structure policy specifically states a return to a "Headquarters-Controlled System." I.E. they are un-doing the changes done in the 2003-2004 restructure.

2: Konami is actively beginning to downplay the Kojima brand. That is, this may not be a slight against Kojima himself, but rather a preparation for him to hand the series off to someone else, which he has said that he wants to do for the last ten years or more at this point. So, I cannot see why anyone is shocked. Since 2010 or so, he has been head of development at KDE. This is a job that he did not really want and was not very good at. Kojima is an auteur, not a manager, and he was mostly just interested in his own products. Honestly, I am only shocked that it took him this long to resign the position. Again, losing position as head of development does not equal losing his job at Konami entirely.

Anything else is just conjecture at this point. Period.

Also, Suikoden and Silent Hill. Some have declared Konami dead, but well, it is far too early for that. Hirotaka Ishikawa (not to be confused with Fumi Ishikawa, Suikoden's long-time character designer) will now be one of the most powerful people on the development side of KDE, and since he is one of the original producers of the Suikoden series as well as Silent Hill 3 and 4, this could actually bode well for both series.

This could all be a push to abandon consoles and focus entirely on mobile platforms, but I honestly doubt that is the case, despite high-profile departures. There are still literally hundreds and hundreds of people in development, and this could be a move to remake KCET/J, as their recent restructuring shows plans for three major development teams, none of which appear to be in Redwood City, the current home of Konami's mobile division.

http://www.konami-digital-entertain...se/2015/0303/?cm_sp=01-_-release-_-20150303-e

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

But...but... What about Silent Hills?! D:

Honestly, I was wondering when Kojima would leave Konami since Konami doesn't know a good thing if it slaps them in the face. It will be weird seeing Kojima not be with Konami since he;s been there for forever.

Although, I do wonder if he can do better when he leaves the company, or does worse since I think he does need someone to tell him either 'no' or 'what the hell are you thinking?'. That could just be me though. :/

Still, if Silent Hills becomes vaporware I'm gonna be super sad since Konami fucked up a good thing.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

And there goes the final one that Konami had left. Castlevania, Contra, Mystical Ninja, Gradius, Silent Hill, Suikoden, and now MGS; once great franchises driven into the ground due to mismanagement by a bunch of idiots. I don't think I have seen any other Japanese company with the exception Square-Enix screw up their lineup as badly as Konami has by undermining every property they have ever made.

As for Kojima, he's not going anywhere anytime soon but I don't see him making some giant independent comeback like the guys over at Platinum Games have or modest creative successes like Sakaguchi. Even before he started entering unintentional parody with MGSIV his glory days were clearly over and I don't see him hitting any sort of chord with anyone post-Konami.

 

[BlackIronGuardian]

I get the feeling this was the only way there wouldn't be any more Metal Gear games.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Yes I absolutely 100% no questions asked believe this.
In other news,Nintendo won't ever release a Zelda game again and Half Life 3 is confirmed.

 

[Sean Kay]

But...but... What about Silent Hills?! D:

I guess that's the end of Silent Hills then.

I suppose this means the Kojima and Guillermo Del Toro-led Silent Hills game won't be happening as well. Fuck.

He and his team are contracted to stay on until at least December, if this single anonymous source is to be believed. My guess is he's stepping down from an executive position despite protests from Konami itself, staying on till the end of this year to finish up any ongoing projects (which basically means seeing MGS V and Silent Hills out of the door) and then taking time out to do other things. It's something he's always talked about, and with MGS V closing the loop as it were he might just feel now is the time to do that. Also explains why Konami have taken his name off stuff, they're trying to get people to think of Konami instead of Kojima when they pick up MGS. Never mind that boat sailed a long goddamn time ago and that it's Kojima that's trended worldwide on twitter right now

 

[vagabondwillsmile]

You've already let Suikoden fall by the wayside.

Noooooo! There is still hope! As long as I still breathe, there is still hope that Suikoden VI will show up...! Yes, denial is a very nice place to be, thank you.

On this actual subject, I do like the quote that, despite all of this, Kojima is still saying that the game needs to be good, not just made, for the fans. Developers could learn a lot from that type of attitude I think.

This is how I feel about Zone of the Enders. I was hoping maybe this will free Kojima to revisit other works of his that still hold his interest (and/or to push on to brand new things that he's been prevented from focusing on). If Konami retains all the rights though... we may be staying a spell in Denial.

 

[Drathnoxis]

Hey, this isn't Taco News! So now The Escapist is going to start their articles with "Report" also, just to make things confusing?

 

[Evonisia]

So this is what he meant when he said it was the last one for realz?

Sucks for fans.