Japanese business newspaper Nikkei has a new article on Konami that not only mentions Metal Gear Solid V’s $80 million budget, but also the vicious, strict culture at the company.
Freelance games localizer Thomas James translated much of the article’s bits about Konami’s strict policies on its staff:
– Any emails (aside from the sales department) with anyone outside the company is done with a randomized email address that is changed regularly.
– Leaving on lunch breaks is regulated using time cards. Employees who exceed their lunch time are outed within the company.
– Konami employees who are considered “useless” are assigned to do assembly line work, security guard detail, and cleanup at Konami’s fitness clubs. Even game producers and creators have had this happen to them.
– One incident involved a Konami employee who posted a Facebook status saying he was leaving to another company. Anyone who liked the status had their position at Konami shifted, and that included even members of upper management with loyal followings.
– Konami founder and current chairman Kagemasa Kozuki is known to be a recluse nowadays. Years ago, Kozuki used to help out other game companies including Nintendo and Sega in their times of trouble, but is now very, very distant from them.
The Nikkei article also mentions any development on Tokimeki Memorial and Suikoden projects have ceased.
Akira Sakuma, creator behind the long-running train-themed board game Momotaro Dentetsu, reportedly left Konami due to disagreements over revenue splitting. Konami has licensed the rights for Momotaro Dentetsu to Nintendo, who will release a new game in the series next year.