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

[Briggsy]

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.

 

They are removing his name from the cover art and advertising, nothing else. The former production studio and his name are still in the ingame credits, which is what most developers (even prestigious ones) receive. I don't claim to understand Japanese business ethics or practices, but I still believe Kojima had a hand in that decision. I've yet to see proof saying otherwise. 

[Orblivion]

I'm actually excited to see him work on something new, the last time it happened we got Zone of the Enders and it was awesome.  I'm sure if anyone is going with him, Yoji Shinkawa will be among them, so I think he'll be able to create his own studio with a lot of publisher interest fairly easily.

[Sharkyx1]

They are removing his name from the cover art and advertising, nothing else. The former production studio and his name are still in the ingame credits, which is what most developers (even prestigious ones) receive. I don't claim to understand Japanese business ethics or practices, but I still believe Kojima had a hand in that decision. I've yet to see proof saying otherwise. 

Well, my point was that

 

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.

He still is a project decision maker until the end of this game, they aren't kicking him out of the seat and finishing his game without him, and yeah they aren't taking away his director credit, and i was just pointing out it seemed weird to change the cover of the old games, not just the promotional material for the new one.

[Briggsy]

Well, my point was that

He still is a project decision maker until the end of this game, they aren't kicking him out of the seat and finishing his game without him, and yeah they aren't taking away his director credit, and i was just pointing out it seemed weird to change the cover of the old games, not just the promotional material for the new one.

 

you are right, It really is weird. My best guess might be either 

 

a.) marketing. They don't want the old games to appear segregated or different, like a new chapter in the series.

b.) royalties being discontinued.

c.) an original agreement that Kojima signed years ago that threatened this action if he ever stepped down (blackmail).

d.) He did something bad enough to lose his honor and respect (again, maybe a cultural thing).

[BovinePoptart]

MGS is literally Konami's only franchise that's not dead. And since hes going, silent hills is probably going to suck too. Looks like Konami is exclusively pachinko machines, card games, and anime now.

[Sharkyx1]

MGS is literally Konami's only franchise that's not dead. And since hes going, silent hills is probably going to suck too. Looks like Konami is exclusively pachinko machines, card games, and anime now.

Yeah im more worried about Silent Hills than MGS, since i was quite excited about it after playing P.T.

[BovinePoptart]

Yeah im more worried about Silent Hills than MGS, since i was quite excited about it after playing P.T.

Me too, a chance for the franchise to come back and it's gone now. Looks like we're going to get shoddy spin offs and remakes now.

[Accursed Entity]

Why? ...  why all this? and now that there's a game to come out? this makes me wonder.

[PlayModeOn]

Is it Kojima's decision to leave? Is he leaving because he wanted to do something new or feed up of something?  Or is Konami forcing him to leave?

[Sharif]

What on earth is going on in that company 

[Bouzoo]

"It's only a box!", I'm sure many of you will say, and I'm sure there will be a debate about this, but since they removed "A Hideo Kojima game" and Kojima Productions logo, I think this just shows how far the argument between Konami and Kojima went. Sounds to me like Konami is being disrespectful on purpose.
 

Also earlier this week, the Japanese voice actor for Solid Snake said:

"[Kojima Productions] has been disbanded,: he said. :It appears that the work that the team has been putting their utmost effort into is nearly complete.:
:I’m not exaggerating when I say that I expect it will become their greatest masterpiece,: he continued. :I couldn’t help it. I just wanted to say 'Kept you waiting, huh?' But even if this is the end, Metal Gear Solid is immortal!"

We kind of knew that, this is just a confirmation.
What do you think all of this? I am not happy and I hope Kojima takes his work somewhere else and nails it.

Box Art sources: 1, 2, 3
Disband source

[ShadowCaptain]

[Kinda Bottlenecked]

I can foresee people giving bad reviews just because of this 

[Bouzoo]

I can foresee people giving bad reviews just because of this 

I'm quite sure some good independent reviewers will stay objective.

[Nexxus]

RIP Metal Gear Im looking forward to one hell of a ride and kojima doing this right and wrapping things up nicely.

I fucking ADORE Metal Gear, you will be hard pressed to tell me something about MG I dont already know and it breaks my fucking heart seeing this, MGS5 looks nohting short of incredible. but at the same time it breaks my heart something I love so dearly is being forcefully taken away from me and there is nothing I can do about it. 

Part of me doesn't even want to get MGS5 just as a final fuck you to Konami, but I can't/

Looking forward to what is surely your greatest work Kojima.

Taking some words from ocelot right now.

Konami can rot for all I care.

[Nexxus]

snip

Way to be productive to the conversation, if you dont care take your creepy pony fascination and get lost.

[1Scotty1]

Way to be productive to the conversation, if you dont care take your creepy pony fascination and get lost.

Sorry, but WHY would this be important news, that a box has one less logo and a few less words on it?

 

It is like the "OMG a company changed the color of its logo" threads all over again...

[blackadder]

strange normally people go the other way when someone dies and promote it as their last "thing" no matter how much of a role they had. 

[Kinda Bottlenecked]

I'm quite sure some good independent reviewers will stay objective.

 

Oh, I'm referring to reviews that come from individuals.  (Steam reviews)

[ashtaroth]

I though this was the last MG that Hideo Kojima was doing why would they take his name off? Still buying it when it comes on PC my first MG game ever.

[thewind32]

Sorry, but WHY would this be important news, that a box has one less logo and a few less words on it?

 

It is like the "OMG a company changed the color of its logo" threads all over again...

 

Relax guys.

As to why this is "news", the game is developed by Kojima Productions and directed, designed, co-produced and co-written by Hideo Kojima. There was a fallout and Kojima was supposedly fired. But the fact that the team has had a hand in the development of the game cannot be changed.

This is a matter of proper crediting, and comparing it to the logo color change is unfair.

[Gale]

Sorry, but WHY would this be important news, that a box has one less logo and a few less words on it?

 

You have to understand what the meaning behind this is. I'm pretty sure they didn't do this just because they wanted to save a few dollars on ink. This means that Kojima and Konami parted ways in a very sour manner; someone did something. There's some juicy drama going on.

[1Scotty1]

You have to understand what the meaning behind this is. I'm pretty sure they didn't do this just because they wanted to save a few dollars on ink. This means that Kojima and Konami parted ways in a very sour manner; someone did something. There's some juicy drama going on.

That I understand, what I don't get is why freak out over the cover, that has lost the logo

[DimasRMDO]

snip

I'm sad....

[ShadowCaptain]

I'm sad....