Yesterday we reported on how Metal Gear series creator Hideo Kojima had officially left Konami and would be eligible to work for another one this December.
Apparently, Konami are denying this, if a report from Tokyo Sports is anything to go by.
According to a Konami spokesperson said that “Currently, Kojima is a listed as a company employee [at Konami].” Konami went on to say that “Kojima and the development team are finished developing Metal Gear Solid V and are taking a long time off from work.”
This comes as a surprise, seeing as many of the employees held a farewell party for the Metal Gear creator on October 9th, the day he reportedly left the company. When asked what that actually was, they denied knowing “what that thing was.”
This only adds more confusion to an already confusing affair, and only increases everyone’s uncertainty of Kojima’s future.
Header Image via Simon Parkin
Annie T. Mood
October 20, 2015 at 10:22 amI’m confused.
Stilzkin
October 20, 2015 at 10:23 amNice try Konami
Mr0303
October 20, 2015 at 10:29 amIs it a permanent one? Have Konami hired a kill squad?
Uncle Ocelot
October 20, 2015 at 10:35 amThey are desperate.
landlock
October 20, 2015 at 10:37 amGardening Leave. Keeps him away from the company until his contract is up.
Misogynerd
October 20, 2015 at 10:37 amNintendo: Gunepi Yokoi is taking a long vacation.
EA: Redwood, Origin, Maxis, Pandemic, Bullfrog and other studios are taking a long vacation.
Misogynerd
October 20, 2015 at 10:45 amThey’re going to kidnap Kojima and refit him into the first human pachinko machine.
Mr0303
October 20, 2015 at 10:53 amMETAL GEAR?!
Nagato
October 20, 2015 at 10:55 amWorse; a weapon to surpass Metal Gear.
21603
October 20, 2015 at 10:57 amDesperate for what? To save what little face they have left? Doesn’t make sense to “pretend” he still works for you and will continue to shit out MGS titles until he’s dead.
And if they’re not pretending I feel really bad for the guy.
Misogynerd
October 20, 2015 at 11:11 amMetal Gear PACH, the first intercontinental mobile pachinko machine, capable at setting a pachinko parlor in any place on earth.
Neojames82
October 20, 2015 at 11:16 amVacation…..right……
Richard Miller
October 20, 2015 at 11:32 am“taking a long time off from work” Come on Konami you can do better than that.
Steven T.
October 20, 2015 at 12:00 pm>Kojima’s taking a long vacation.
So is Pope Benedict.
No_Good_Names_Ever
October 20, 2015 at 12:48 pmA vacation with some fava beans and a nice chianti.
No_Good_Names_Ever
October 20, 2015 at 12:49 pmDice will soon be going on vacation too.
EA is gonna need to restock the fridge soon.
tetrisdork
October 20, 2015 at 1:18 pmDid Konami hire this guy?
Misogynerd
October 20, 2015 at 1:33 pmCD Projeckt Red will become EA Poland
Ubisoft will become EA France
Activision will become EA USA
Platinum Games will become EA Sports Japan
Nintendo will become EA Japan
DICE will become EA Ballena
Zynga will become EA Mobile
Chosen Unbread
October 20, 2015 at 1:42 pmI want to believe that this is all some elaborate MGS-meta related ruse, but I know it’s not true.
Reon
October 20, 2015 at 1:49 pmThis is hilarious Konami is treating everyone like we’re little kids.
“Guys Kojima isn’t fired, he just moved away to a nice farm where he’ll live with other developers and have fun there!”
“No kids, you cannot go visit Kojima there, but rest assured, he is totally alive and not fired, in that farm”
Offendatron_5000
October 20, 2015 at 2:05 pmEverything is fine. There are no pachinko machines here, only console games.
Offendatron_5000
October 20, 2015 at 2:06 pmGiven the communications from this company, if I had any ownership interest in this company, I’d sell it while its still worth whatever its printed on. This stuff is grade A garbage.
Muten
October 20, 2015 at 2:07 pmIf people are paying alot of attention and worrying about the future of a single development studio, doesn t that send a message to the company that people really care…
Feniks
October 20, 2015 at 2:15 pmMaffia: Jimmy Hoffa is in Acapulco.
Keinart
October 20, 2015 at 3:37 pmSo on the paper he still figures as an employee due to damage control for the christmas sales for MGSV, but in reality he’s as good as gone and once december is over all the shit will come up.
flashn00b
October 20, 2015 at 3:41 pmActivision: High Moon Studios and Raven Software are on vacation.
Alcatraz
October 20, 2015 at 3:48 pmDon’t forget Bizarre Creations
flashn00b
October 20, 2015 at 3:53 pmThat was before a time when Activision thought that EA’s too merciful.
Dewey Defeats Truman
October 20, 2015 at 4:02 pmThis blatant lying is so insulting I can’t even think of how to word my anger right now.
Carl_Ed
October 20, 2015 at 4:05 pmBefore long all of these will become EA mobile. Enjoy your fremium future.
Carl_Ed
October 20, 2015 at 4:08 pmOld Yeller?
Nagato
October 20, 2015 at 4:26 pmSuch a lust for vacation.
rBeowulf
October 20, 2015 at 4:27 pmJust like your old dog is happy living in that farm upstate…
Jumanji Joe
October 20, 2015 at 4:43 pmKonami: Hideo Kojima isn’t fired, we sent him to live on a farm!
Misogynerd
October 20, 2015 at 4:44 pmCome on they also need more devs for a new sports game each 6 months
vileBrenman
October 20, 2015 at 5:27 pmHonestly I wouldn’t be surprised if it is
Crizzyeyes
October 20, 2015 at 5:45 pmI think that the person who responded from Konami genuinely didn’t know. No, seriously. Big companies are terrible about this kind of shit. One idiot from HR didn’t correct the roster, and that’s all it takes.
Offendatron_5000
October 20, 2015 at 7:52 pmI might believe that for general pencil pusher #57. When you’re dealing with the big dogs in any firm, the rumor mill has circulated the news twice before its even reached the outside world, let alone in a situation like this where its well documented. Something isn’t right here.
Didney Worl
October 20, 2015 at 9:39 pmThey sent him to Belize.
No_Good_Names_Ever
October 20, 2015 at 10:04 pmI don’t think any Japanese company is dumb enough to fall to EA.
Phil F.
October 21, 2015 at 12:11 amI think the implications are more serious than just being fired, unless of course ‘fired’ means Kojima was burned alive.
Misogynerd
October 21, 2015 at 12:19 amKonami would definitely be dumb enough. Maybe Capcom. All the other ones are too niche or actually make enough money to not be absorbed into EA.
morzinbo
October 21, 2015 at 3:20 amHe took a nice vacation to Belize.
No_Good_Names_Ever
October 21, 2015 at 3:27 amCapcom did open itself up to the potential if I remember correctly but Konami, Konami would sooner kill itself after putting a bullet into all its employees heads.
Sakurai
October 21, 2015 at 9:59 amClearly damage control to keep the shareholders in the dark. Unfortunately the veil is so paper thin nobody is buying it.
The Japanese industry has to be looking at Konami and scratching their heads. There’s no advantage to getting rid of Kojima, and now they have a chance at getting Kojima, whom is a 30 year industry veteran developer/director, and not just any 30 year veteran, but one whom has been praised by his peers as the best in the industry.
OverlordZetta
October 21, 2015 at 10:25 amIt’s a thing these companies do.
Look at how SE goes as far as to region lock trailers, as if that will make games not exist to the foreign audience they’re denying – or Nintendo’s reaction to YouTube going all the way back to Brawl.
It’s like they’re out of touch in a way. This stuff might’ve worked in their day, at least to some effect.
OverlordZetta
October 21, 2015 at 10:26 amIt’s a funny joke now, but don’t forget how people seriously thought there was foul play over Imageepoch’s president.
OverlordZetta
October 21, 2015 at 10:28 amI was hoping that after Silent Hills, but at this point it looks more like Konami just wants easy money.
Misogynerd
October 21, 2015 at 10:35 amI only knew they went out of business. I didn’t know their CEO went missing or whatever happened there.
Thanatos2k
October 21, 2015 at 6:20 pmThanks for clarifying Konami. Now we know he is fired since everything you say is a lie.
DrWawee
October 22, 2015 at 2:16 amKonami put out a hit on Kojima?
DrWawee
October 22, 2015 at 2:17 amthe same Yakuza hit squad that whacked Gunpei
Zombie_Barioth
October 22, 2015 at 2:55 amShareholders most like, not to mention “fuck Konami” is now a meme, that can’t be good for their image.
Seems to me they’re backpeddling like mad. First he and the other senior execs at Kojima Productions were made “independent contractors” held on a really tight leash. Then we get a report on his leavng and going away party at his studio. Now its “he’s taking time off”. Those are some pretty wild deviations.
Misogynerd
October 22, 2015 at 3:35 amHe’s either gonna get the cement shoes or he’s gonna turn into a pachinko machine.
DrWawee
October 22, 2015 at 6:01 amHe’s gonna get Gunpei’d that’s when two execs take you for a ride and then set you up to get run over.