Kojima to leave Konami After MGSV

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llazy77

Warrior of Light
May 27, 2014
1,149
550
29
#1
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1013581
A fallout between Kojima Productions and its owning publisher, Konami, has led to senior staff at the studio being restricted access to corporate internet, emails, and phone, GameSpot understands.

Along with the restricted communications, key developers at the studio, such as Hideo Kojima, will now have limited opportunities to lend their appearance to promotions of the studio’s upcoming game, Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. Power struggles between Kojima Productions and Konami have led the publisher to make drastic changes, including the employee status of its Metal Gear team. Some senior staff at the studio, including Kojima, now essentially work as contractors, not permanent employees.

The extraordinary measures were revealed by a source within the studio, speaking to GameSpot on the condition of anonymity. 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.

The person added: "At a team meeting, Mr Kojima explained that team have to be one and make a good game for fans."

How do you guys feel about this? An era of gaming has truly come to an end.
 
Sep 26, 2013
1,612
626
#4
Stuff like this makes me so happy that I was a 90's kid.

Because I got to experience Konami, Capcom, Square Enix, Rare, Nintendo and other companies during their glory days.

Nintendo is still going strong. Still making high quality titles and taking good care of their IPs.

Square Enix was pretty bad last generation but could have a turnaround this generation. When they were Square Soft, it wasn't just "Final Fantasy" like it is today. We were seeing a consistency of brand new high quality titles from them. From SNES to PS2.

Konami, Rare and Capcom are becoming increasingly irrelevant to hardcore gamers like me now. Yes, we'll still see the Metal Gear Solids, Resident Evils and Monster Hunters of the world, but those companies used to be so much more then that. Management has not handled their IPs well at all.

In regards to Rare, I get the impression that Microsoft is outsourcing their IPs and probably for the best too as Killer Instinct I hear is pretty good and key talent that defined and shaped Rare during their time with Nintendo isn't there anymore.
 

yeah_93

Warrior of Light
Sep 27, 2013
1,512
570
Venezuela
#5
This sucks. Kojima, despite the weird stunts he always pulls, is a great developer, and his talent is undeniable. I just wonder at the consequences. Is Metal Gear going to die because of this?