Rumours are gathering pace that influential video game director Hideo Kojima may have left Konami Digital Entertainment.
Via Reddit, information was discovered showing that references to Kojima Productions have been removed from the Konami website, as well as from the Metal Gear Solid V official Japanese page. To add more fuel to the speculation, Kojima’s name has been removed from the official Konami list of executives.
Picture credit – NEOGAF
Kojima has worked on some huge franchises including Metal Gear Solid and the Castlevania series. His studio Kojima Productions is a subsidiary of Konami, where he is also the Vice President.
Konami has since responded to these online reports, commenting: "Konami Digital Entertainment, including Mr. Kojima, will continue to develop and support Metal Gear products. Please look forward to future announcements."
Kojima-san’s latest project, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, is due out worldwide on September 1, 2015 for PS4 PS3, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox 360.
Stay tuned to PSU for more updates as we get them.
[UPDATE 1]
It now appears that Kojima Productions’ Los Angeles-based office has been renamed, with Kojima Productions itself seemingly now defunct. That’s at least according to the following Tweet:
Kojima Production is now renamed to Konami Los Angeles Studio Kojima Productions is dead – pic.twitter.com/mIxPJwqOqt
— Nibel (@Nibellion) March 19, 2015
[UPDATE 2]
Gamespot now reports that there may have been a falling out between Kojima Productions and Konami. Gamespot cites an insider source who has told them that there’s a blanket ban on communication about the issues to the public or press.
"The person explained that, once the Phantom Pain project is finished, in all likelihood the management at the studio will disband.
"After we finish MGSV, Mr. Kojima and upper management will leave Konami. They said their contract ends in December," the source claimed."
Woah, so what’s to become of Kojima? And Konami? We’ll bring you more updates as they land.