In a move that we're sure many of you saw coming, Konami has removed all references to famous developer Hideo Kojima and his team, Kojima Productions, from the box of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. As reported last week, it seems that the aforementioned studio was recently disbanded.
With Big Boss' latest escapade releasing in September, development of the open world stealth-'em-up is sure to be in its final stages, but at this point, it's more than likely that Kojima Productions is essentially contracted to stick around until it's done. Nevertheless, it's somewhat saddening to see the studio's logo disappear from the game's retail case, along with the traditional 'A Hideo Kojima Game' text.
Are you excited about the title's upcoming launch, or has your enthusiasm been dampened by Konami's practices? Violently shake your head in the comments section below.
[source neogaf.com, via uk.ign.com]
Comments 46
Disgusting.
Do these people not understand that this is bad PR for them?
I think we all should boycott the game......
His name may have been taken but he will never be forgotten, this is Hideo Kojima & his development team game.
Shocking, how can they do this? He's the person that created the franchise in the first place! As people have said we should boycott the game but I don't think hideo would want that
Not sure why this is a surprise. if Kojima Productions have been wrapped up I'm sure there are many legal reasons for them to do this. These two parties are professionals, not kids in the play ground, disagreement or not I'm sure Konami and Kojima have been able to agree a mutual split like big boys... It's not as if Kojima is mouthing off on twitter about it so the impression I get is a respectful parting of ways.
I won't be purchasing this day one. I want to see a complete review now Kojima Productions supposedly stopped working on it before completion. Im also gonna get my copy pre owned to ensure Konami don't see a penny of mine.
I don't understand how they can take Kojima Productions off the box given it was there creation.
@Neolit but VIDEOGAMEZ!!!1
"Disgusting" "boycott the game". Goodness me, what an overreaction to something fairly meaningless and what we don't know the ins and outs of.
Nothing a good marker pen wouldn't sort out.
@eLarkos Well Kojima and his studio did 99% of the work on this game and are getting zero credit for it. It is disgusting regardless of the ins and outs, literally the only way this could be even slightly acceptable is if Kojima requested it himself for some reason which I can't see.
Wait, didn't that happen months ago? How come everyone's reporting on this as if it's news?
http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/19/8257283/metal-gear-solid-konami-branding
This one's from March and it mentions the change of the MGSV box art.
@PorllM Given the childish tactics that people assume Konami are guilty of it could equally be said that Kojima has requested the removal in a bid to damage sales and hurt Konami. Of course as previously stated I don't think that's the case because the parties involved aren't 12 year olds. Point is lets wait for the facts.
@PorIIM I'm aware of who develped the game. Who's saying he won't get any credit? You do realise that Kojimas tramp stamp on everything wasn't the norm to begin with? The comments I quoted seem a little overboard for the situation in my opinion.
@raymondwill Sweet, coz I was just about to kill someone
This just another reminder that Konami really have been a bunch of muppets recently.
Might pirate this.
@DrClayman It's essentially been re-confirmed after reports that Konami might have actually ended up keeping Kojima and his team on the box after all.
Cant wait to see what this guy does on his own...........
Boycotting the game is a bad idea because, ultimately, you'll be spiting Kojima and the team that have worked on hard this. It's just a rubbish situation all around.
I admit I have never been a fan of "A Hideo Kojima Game". Everyone knows that Kojima makes MGS games, let the game sell on its own merits, like Kamiya or Miyamoto do.
But I am against removing the logo as his team made this game. As long as they get paid it won't be the end of the world though, again, we all know who made this game.
In other news, this is the last Konami game me, and like everybody else are going to buy.
Official Theme Song of Konami 2016
Childish.
@sinalefa Wrong, Miyamoto is Nintendo those two names are interchangeable, he Is in every tree house, in most promotional videos and has a say In nearly every first party game. Kamiya was drafted into the souls team once initial production was in place already. So both of these people are different to Kojima.
Kojima made MGS himself from the start. Its his baby 25 years in the making. He Is also a freaking genius his games are genre defining, unfortunately he also has a huge ego. Which is why he wants his name plastered over the game.
I'm sure this happened months ago. In either case this Kojima Productions game is the last I'll ever buy that relates to Konami
Well, best of luck to Mr. Kojima. I'll get this game as a thanks to him for his work on the series, and after that I won't get another Metal Gear.
@themcnoisy
Exactly my point. You never see "A Hideki Kamiya Game" on any of his games, even if he is doing new IPs all the time. And for as much influence as Miyamoto has in most Nintendo games, you will only see his name once in the credits and never in a box. Sakurai with Smash could maybe be a closer example. I agree that it is mostly an ego issue on Kojima's part.
Anyway, it is pretty clear that the party who will suffer the most from this separation is Konami, not Kojima and his team. Still a shame that Silent Hills will never get made, it was nice to see him trying something new.
@sinalefa In fairness I quite liked the "a Hideo Kojima" game thing. I didn't really perceive it as being egotistical, just another cool touch really. MGS has always had the camp feel of an 80's action flick to me, much like part of the inspiration for Snake, Escape from New York. Kojima always said he tried to make Snake sexy, whether that be a cool rifle slung over his shoulder or his perfect ass packed into a sneaking suit.
I think the arrogance of the man is part of what makes him so... Whatever the word is. Like, here's this guy that sticks his name all over his game... And yet he earns the ego because everything he makes is golden and he darn well knows it.
@get2sammyb But then he always had things popping up during game play such as the name of a particular artist when a song plays, the Apple computers and Triumph motorbikes in MGS4, and I believe the designer of the sunglasses comes up on screen during MGS5 that the characters happen to be wearing. I don't know, I just can't quite put it down to personal ego... More like he was enhancing the experience through the use of brands, his name being one of them. But then maybe it is egotistical. I'm confused.
I think the whole dodgy exit situation frames our minds to read latest developments in the Konami saga in a certain way. I definitely succumb to this myself but later think that if their goal was to unify the Konami brand then doing it consistently across makes perfect sense... well, unless you happen to have a legend amongst your ranks whose exit will mean bad PR for you!
I wonder how many gamers actually follow the news and to what extent this will indeed damage Konami's brand. If I had to take a guess, not a great deal.
@kyleforrester87
MGS4 has several wordplays on either "Hideo" or "Kojima" so clearly he loves seeing his name everywhere.
I can see the "guy is a genius and deserves recognition" approach, but to me the humble genius is way more likable.
This is just completely disrespectful, I'd love to not give Konami my money but at the same time would feel that would be slapping Kojima and his staff in the face.
Good job Konami. Kojima is a ego maniac. Good riddance.
Just from a simple PR standpoint, it would make a lot of sense for Konami to get out in front of this. Unless it's some kind of legal agreement to not talk about it, they need to address this head on. They're looking bad, and we don't know how the relationship went sour.
Like what I heard about the board and execs at the corrupt Olympus corp, these 'grown men' (women are far more mature) act like vile petty children, its disgusting behaviour.
Everyone should calm down. Although his name is not on the box, it will be VERY prevalent during the game.
I've always liked how Kojima prominently put his name on all of his games. It's just a part of who he is and him just...well, being Kojima. And while I think it's definitely a pride complex of sorts, I really don't like that Konami is removing it. It's part of what makes the MGS box art covers unique, so to see the name gone is frustrating for some reason. I don't like it.
Who cares, we all know who did the game even if it's not plastered all over the box I'm still excited and getting it! I think people are just being childish and overreacting to such a small thing.
Good job censoring, Konami.
Kojima created Metal Gear, he poured his genius into it for years and his team made excellent design and character choices.
Taking the name off the box just further highlights the petty nature of these people, and that they know it gas left a bad taste, and need it forgotten.
At least we all know without Kojima, this probably wouldnt even exist.
I'm more worried about the game being crippled by microtransactions personally.
If they attempt to turn the base building aspect into #$/%ing f*rmville then I will not be a happy vengeance obsessed Boss.
@Johnnycide
Speaking of which, I wonder if microtransactions weren't a sticking point for Kojima that led to this break up? I'm sure there were numerous factors but I wouldn't be surprised if that's one of them. I'm hoping it doesn't effect the game in a hugely meaningful way but we'll have to see. If Konami has proven one thing recently it's that it's a company that shouldn't be trusted.
This will be the last Konami game I will buy (if Konami didn't mess the whole game up at the end). I mean I never bought anything else from Konami anyway, just games branded with the Kojima Logo.
I will buy the boxed copy and cut out Konami and put in the Kojima logo and tell everybody this is a Kojima game and not a Konami game. Konami will go down pretty quick without Kojima.
Please watch the language -Tasuki-
I know who made the game is there really anyone who cares about that.
Tap here to load 46 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...