Production company Konami and game creator Hideo Kojima once had a very beneficial relationship. Hideo Kojima made the critically acclaimedMetal Gear Solidgames, which is undoubtedly one ofKonami’s most beloved titles, but the relationship soured towards the release ofMetal Gear Solid 5. Many fans have wondered why the relationship between the two parties changed and recent accusations seemed to shed light on the situation, butKojima Productionsis now refuting the allegations.
Theend of Kojima’s working relationship with Konamiwas very public and Kojima’s name was removed from the packaging ofMetal Gear Solid 5by Konami. The end product was also considered to be unfinished by many and there have been questions about whether the title went over budget or was not what the company wanted to release. Many felt the firing of Kojima was part of Konami’s commitment to making more mobile games and fewer console titles. However, recent rumors have suggested Kojima was at fault.
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An article by Gameblog claimed that Hideo Kojima had used funds allocated by Konami forMetal Gear Solid 5to work on theSilent Hillplayable teaser. While many players enjoyed this demo and there is still a huge amount offan support for Kojima making aSilent Hillgame, Kojima Productions have denied these serious claims. The Head of Global Marketing and Communications at Kojima Productions, Jay Boor, responded through the company’s account with a statement that the allegations are"categorically false.“Naturally, mismanagement of funds and deliberately flawed distribution put Hideo Kojima’s professionalism into question and the company he represents, as well as the individual, will want to clarify these kinds of rumors.
The original article also claimed that Konami and Kojima had entered a civil relationship which will likely spark rumors of anotherSilent Hillgame. However, Kojima Productions appears to have denied the entirety of the article and when asked what factors could be true, Boor has stated that they will communicate this information when there are credible sources. With this in mind andKojima’s dismissals ofSilent Hillrumors, it seems that players may have to wait to find out what Kojima Productions will work on next and it seems unlikely to be connected to Konami.
The dispute between Konami and Kojima was one of the most public “breakups” in gaming history and, naturally, players will want to know what happened. With that said, it seems thatKojima Productionsis only entertaining credible sources and has attempted to get ahead of these allegations to protect the integrity of the figurehead of the company.
