[Confirmed] Hideo Kojima will be leaving Konami after the completion of Metal Gear Solid V

[Sharkyx1]

UPDATE
This morning Konami & Kojima released a statement confirming the rumours but putting great detail into the fact that MGSV will still be completed by Kojima & Co, but that he will be leaving after its completion.
Konami also included in the statement that they will be movnig forward in the MGS series without its creator after his depature and they are currently looking to make a new development team for MGS for future titles.

Kojima said this about MGSV Today

I am 100% involved and will continue working on Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain; I’m determined to make it the greatest game I’ve directed to date.

http://ca.ign.com/articles/2015/03/20/konami-and-kojima-release-joint-statement

 

 Original Write Up:

A series of curious events have occurred this afternoon, causing confusion about the state of Metal Gear Solid V and creator Hideo Kojima's relationship with Konami.

It all started from a Reddit thread, which later found its way to NeoGAF. In the posts, users noted that Kojima’s name was being removed from Metal Gear Solid 5 artwork. Furthermore, Kojima Productions – the development studio responsible for the series – also appears to have vanished out of existence, while its Los Angeles counterpart has been renamed Konami Los Angeles Studios.

 

http://ca.ign.com/articles/2015/03/19/kojima-reportedly-leaves-konami-konami-responds

 

Kojima's name was even removed from previous games in the series, the Metal Gear youtube banner and basically any other digital artwork Konami has alongside changing the name of his studio.

 

Speaking to IGN, a Konami representative said: "As we have already announced, we are shifting our production structure to a headquarters-controlled system, in order to establish a steadfast operating base capable of responding to the rapid market changes that surround our digital entertainment business. Konami Digital Entertainment (including Mr. Kojima), will continue to develop and support Metal Gear products. Please look forward to future announcements.”

Wonder what could be happening with all this, if it was just him being moved around or a restructuring, why go through the work of removing his name from everything and why so sudden? 

 

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/kojima-expected-to-leave-konami-after-mgs5-inside-/1100-6426024/

 

 

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."

[Victorious Secret]

This seems a tad extreme, which means there is more to it. 

 

Creators leave all the time, their companies don't get manhandled into oblivion from a naming standpoint. So who did he piss off? 

Cause the alternative is that he asked them to remove his name from the games. People can be humble, no one is humble enough to have their name wiped from the face of one of gamings all time great franchises. 

[minibois]

That's some interesting and to be honest creepy stuff..

[nicehat]

Probably a publicity stunt to garner more interest in the MGS series.. He's known to do this kind of stuff

[pk-man]

popcorn.gif

 

damn there's some serious drama happening.  Is Konami really dumb enough to piss off Kojima?  There has to be more to this. Need more details.

 

 

OR this could some sick trolling by Kojima.........

[ComradeHX]

Kojima went on a sneaking mission.

[werto165]

Kojima's last game was supposed to be ages ago. He's been working on the series for YEARS, I pretty sure he's mentioned before that this would definitely be his last game. Anyway seems extreme to take it from the artwork of the game.

 

@Sharkyx1 you can change the title if you go into the full editor for the post. 

[Sharkyx1]

Kojima's last game was supposed to be ages ago. He's been working on the series for YEARS, I pretty sure he's mentioned before that this would definitely be his last game. Anyway seems extreme to take it from the artwork of the game.

 

@Sharkyx1 you can change the title if you go into the full editor for the post. 

Thanks friend, i fixed it

 

But yeah he said MGS1,2,3,4,and PW would be the last MGS game, but he's never really said he wants to stop making games, he seemed pretty Excited to be working with Del Toro on the upcoming Silent Hill reboot

[kpreg]

Capitalism. Ugh.

This sucks. When he said "The person added: "At a team meeting, Mr Kojima explained that team have to be one and make a good game for fans." I can tell they are battling with the publishers. Quite sad. They will be missed, and I most certainly will follow thier progress.

[Prikk]

Probably a conflict of interest. Kojima is quite literally his own brand now where Konami is being outshined by him. I don't see it as a problem as Kojima will probably be picked up very quickly by other publishers.

[Nexxus]

As an extreme MGS fan, this saddens my greatly...

[Misanthrope]

I'm thinking publicity stunt

[Sharkyx1]

I'm thinking publicity stunt

I can't imagine this would be a positive publicity stunt, the current rumour is he was having a power battle with konami and after MGSV releases he and his crew will be leaving to make an independent studio

[sgloux3470]

Konami just shot themselves in the foot.

 

The only other two big franchises they have are Silent Hill and Castlevania and they've been pretty rocky lately.

[Albatross]

This is going to be bad, I just know it.

[OddLee]

I can't imagine this would be a positive publicity stunt, the current rumour is he was having a power battle with konami and after MGSV releases he and his crew will be leaving to make an independent studio

 

To be fair, how well received was the MGS2 fiasco (Bait and switch with Snake/Raiden)

 

Kojima does strange things, some work, some don't. Until I hear something official from Konami, aside from that statement they made about him still working on MGS5, I'd say take this with a grain of salt.

 

He could be either pulling his biggest troll-move ever, or.. This is a sad day/the beginning of the end for Konami. 

[Sharkyx1]

Konami just shot themselves in the foot.

 

The only other two big franchises they have are Silent Hill and Castlevania and they've been pretty rocky lately.

Jima's next project was a Silent Hill Reboot with Guilermo Del Toro too, so it sounds like that will probably be canned

[Zah]

An April Fool's joke, maybe.  It might build up to April 1st.

[Sharkyx1]

So this morning there was an official press release stating that kojima is leaving, there will be post kojima metal gears and they are already looking for people to replace him and his team

On mobile, I'll add it to the op later

[PopReference]

So will Kojima be leaving Kojima Productions or will Kojima take his productions? Either way today is a sad day.

[ShadowCaptain]

That, is really strange.. no idea whats happening

 

 

As an extreme MGS fan, this saddens my greatly...
 

 

nice collection

 

also MGS FTW <3

[sgloux3470]

So this morning there was an official press release stating that kojima is leaving, there will be post kojima metal gears and they are already looking for people to replace him and his team

On mobile, I'll add it to the op later

First we lose David Hayter, now we lose Kojima.

So much for the franchise.

[Sharkyx1]

So will Kojima be leaving Kojima Productions or will Kojima take his productions? Either way today is a sad day.

It sounds like he's bringing some of his staff with him and whoever isn't going will be put in a different studio, and they changed the studio for the online portion from kojima la to Konami la

[Briggsy]

If it were me and I was removed as a project decision maker before I could finish, I would want my named removed as well. Anyone with any sense of pride in what they do would want the same.

[Sharkyx1]

If it were me and I was removed as a project decision maker before I could finish, I would want my named removed as well. Anyone with any sense of pride in what they do would want the same.

No, they are telling him to finish the one that comes out in september, but they are removing his name from everything

 

Including previously released material like the Legacy collection which is all the games leading up to V (1,2,3,PW,4 and the msx ones)

which were his lifes work.