Maybe get the tissues ready as this Metal Gear Solid 5 Debriefing video from Hideo Kojima is an emotional rollercoaster. The first bit is a bit of a Kojima love-in with interviews from his co-workers but a visit to the family of an MGS fan who passed away is a reflective and heartfelt experience.
Kojima's farewell to the game in the final moments of the video and apology for it taking so long is beautifully put and, yes, that lump in your throat is very much ok.
Watch Hideo Kojima's emotional farewell to Metal Gear. Expect tears...
Konami removing all traces of Kojima from its websites.
Something is going on with Konami and Metal Gear Solid developer Kojima Productions. Konami has been updating its websites during the last 24 hours, removing all traces of “Kojima Productions” and its boss Hideo Kojima.
Here’s the list of changes:
- Kojima Productions’ Twitter accounts have are “officially moving accounts to” @MetalGear_EN and @MetalGear_JP
- Kojima Productions’ official website is redirected to the Metal Gear series portal
- The Kojima Productions logo has disappeared from both the Metal Gear series portal and Metal Gear Solid V‘s official website (archive.org comparison)
- All traces of “A Hideo Kojima Game” above the titles of Metal Gear Solid games on Konami America’s Metal Gear Solid page have disappeared (archive.org comparison)
image: http://gematsu.com/wp-content/uploa...dates_03-19-15_Boxes-Before-After-280x190.jpg
Kojima Productions L.A.’s website redirects to Konami.com (archive.org comparison) - Hideo Kojima is not named in this year’s restructuring announcement (he was previously named as the “Executive Content Officer”)
- What were previously job openings for Kojima Productions Los Angeles are now job openings for Konami Los Angeles
Kojima quits? Konami responds, strips KojiPro brand from Metal Gear Solid 5 marketing
Rumors this morning started circulating that Hideo Kojima has left Konami after the firm released a new executive appointment form which no longer listed Kojima as Executive Content Officer. And now, Metal Gear Solid 5 ha s anew Twitter account and website.
While we’re not sure what’s going on, and held off on posting anything on the matter until Konami got back with us, a statement was sent to Videogamer:
“Konami Digital Entertainment, including Mr. Kojima, will continue to develop and support Metal Gear products. Please look forward to future announcements.”
There’s more though over on NeoGAF where the information was first brought to light.
The Kojima Pro Twitter account seems to be closing down and instead all Metal Gear Solid 5 information has been moved to a dedicated Twitter account.
The Splash Page for Metal Gear Solid 5 has also changed and no long has the game pegged as “A Hideo Kojima Game.” The same can be said for the Legacy Collection and Metal Gear Solid 5:Ground Zeroes.
Kojima’s website, KojiPro now redirects to a new Metal Gear Solid portal and links to Kojima’s Twitter account no longer appear on the website.
There’s also a redirect to the main Konami website when trying to visit the Kojima Productions LA website. A jobs listing on the Kojima Pro website is now listed for Konami Los Angeles Studio.
Earlier this month, Kojima said with Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain he would “finally close the loop” on the saga.
“With Metal Gear Solid 5, I’m finally closing the loop on that saga,” he said. “In that sense, this will be the final Metal Gear Solid.
“Even if the Metal Gear franchise continues, to me, this is the last Metal Gear.”
His comments seem to have been a foreshadowing of today’s events. The executive appointments released by Konami will go into effect on April 1, which marks the beginning of the government’s fiscal year.
Many corporations follow suit and many new employees start their jobs on this day. Konami’s 2015 fiscal year ends on March 31.
MGS 5: The Phantom Pain is set for release on September 1 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.
We will keep you up to date on the situation as more information becomes available.
*Update thanks to @-DMP-
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."
MAJOR UPDATE 3/20/15
Konami Will Be Making New Metal Gear Games After The Phantom Pain
Konami has revealed on its official website that it will be making new Metal Gear games after the release of The Phantom Pain.
The first part of the message (written in Japanese) once again confirms that Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will be released to most countries on September 1st, 2015. It will be out on September 2nd in Asia and Japan.
The latter part of the message are where things get very interesting. It appears Konami has stealthily confirmed it will continue production of Metal Gear games well after The Phantom Pain has been released.
“In addition, KONAMI is: also in production of a “Metal Gear” series after “MGSV TPP”, we will continue to provide. Thank you continue to “Metal Gear” series you look forward for your patronage as in the future.
In addition, KONAMI has resolved to embark on production of a new “Metal Gear” series.”
It then refers you to a link where Konami is finding new staff to join the team. The job category says “New Metal Gear production staff”.
This may be solid proof that Konami is interested in continuing the Metal Gear franchise without Hideo Kojima. Kojima confirmed that The Phantom Pain will be his last Metal Gear video game.
Updated 4/9/15
Donna Burke Confirms Konami Fired Hideo Kojima From the Company
Publisher Konami has indeed fired Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima from the company, according to Australian singer-songwriter Donna Burke.
Burke, who performed “Heavens Divide” for Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker and “Sins of the Father” for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, has recently taken to Twitter to express her support for the renowned Japanese developer.
She asked fans not to boycott Kojima’s upcoming open-world stealth title “because upper management fired a genius.”
The Phantom Pain, which is Kojima’s final instalment in the franchise, is still in its development phase, as Burke added that “the game is being tested now and some bits [are being] finished off to make it [awesome].”
Yesterday, Akio Ōtsuka, the Japanese voice actor of Solid Snake and Venom Snake, also came out to support both Kojima and The Phantom Pain on Twitter—Burke originally referenced this tweet before she confirmed that Kojima was fired—in which he assured fans that the development team has not changed and, more importantly, not to cancel their pre-orders for the game.
Last month, news emerged that Kojima would be leaving Konami after the release of The Phantom Pain. It was also believed that Kojima Productions’ staff had restrictions placed on their email and internet access by Konami, while specific individuals, such as Hideo Kojima and Kenichiro Imaizumi, are now considered as ‘contractors’ for the company.
In fact, there were several earlier signs that suggested there was a growing rift between Kojima and Konami, including a new Twitter account for the Metal Gear Solid franchise being set up, Kojima Productions’ logo removed from Konami-related products, Kojima’s studio being rebranded and the trademark ‘A Hideo Kojima Game’ being removed from MGS posters.
Kojima, who joined Konami in 1986 as a ‘planner,’ finally broke his silence last month and released a joint statement with Konami that confirmed he is still “100% involved” with The Phantom Pain.
Running on Kojima Productions’ Fox Engine, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will launch worldwide on September 1st, 2015, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The PC version, on the other hand, will be released two weeks after the console launch.
Rumor Update 4/12 (contributed by @Los! )
The release of Silent Hills for PS4, Xbox One, and PC has been allegedly cancelled due to the departure of Kojima Productions from Konami, according to recent reports online.
"Silent Hills has been cancelled. Hideo Kojima did not allow Konami to use the Fox Engine to make the game and Konami has since put the game on ice and my sources tell me that the project is now effectively cancelled," Cyberland reports.
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