Read between the corporate double speak and it's becoming increasingly clear that Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima has been targeted by a tranquiliser gun, bundled into a cardboard box, and put out with the trash. Following yesterday's rumours regarding an internal power struggle, publisher Konami has now revealed its intention to build a brand new Metal Gear series β and it's recruiting a fresh team of senior staff to do it.
The unsettling news comes courtesy of a translated post on the publisher's website, in which it reassures fans that the franchise will continue beyond Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Gutting the team and doing away with its long-time director doesn't exactly seem like the kind of comfort that we were hoping for, but this whole scenario already appeared tone deaf on the Japanese organisation's part, so we're not surprised.
Presumably, the firm will attempt to create the promising Silent Hills on its own, too β but consider our confidence in the project at rock bottom. Yesterday, the company started removing any references to the abovementioned veteran from its website. This is all part of a restructuring initiative, as it attempts to put Konami front and centre of all of its branding efforts, seemingly irrespective of the cost.
Kojima, cleverly, is yet to comment on the saga on his ordinarily active Twitter account, but that silence will get broken eventually β and we're sort of looking forward to it. We doubt that he'll have too much time on his hands right now, though, because he's about to get headhunted by practically every publisher in the industry. If we were Sony, we'd use some of those PS4 profits to allow him and his team to make whatever they want.
[source konami.jp, via neogaf.com, eurogamer.net]
Comments 23
get Platinum to make a Rising 2 that would be a good place to start
still Metal Gear without Kojima, will it surrvive?
Bring Kojima to a Sony studio please! He is a must have!
@AFCC I'm sure conversations like that will happen. I can see him wanting to go it alone after all this drama, though.
A new "Metal Gear Series" would have made sense after MGS4, but now it just seems disjointed.
@Punished_Boss_84 isn't that what Rising is ment to be a new series after MGS4
It wouldn't make a lot of sense for him to become an employee of another studio. He will have no trouble securing publishing for his future work. Ironically, his future publishers will probably plaster "A Hideo Kojima Game" all over the product.
@eLarkos
Probably shove in "From the creator of MGS" as well.
@FullbringIchigo
More In line with what the series is known for.
As I said in the other thread there's no way he'd go to another company without trying his hand at it all himself. Man has a big ego (nowt wrong with that) and he'll want to do it all himself rather than be bossed around by suits.
Does this mean they didn't like MGS 5 so far?
They should start a new story with new characters, otherwise, obviously, they'll ruin it.
No Kojima, no buy. Same goes for Silent Hills unless they both turn out really really good, then I'll consider.
@AyeHaley It sounds like corporate politics to me. It just seems like Konami felt Kojima was getting too big for his boots.
@rastamadeus
Yes, I can see him founding "Kojima Games", and doing the same as Mikami and Inafune. The only thing is that he will still need a big publisher since he is used to those gigantic budgets.
R.I.P MGS. Its been fun!!
I can see Kojima going to Sony being he is a big fan of the corporation. We'll see what happens after he is done taking a break from the spotlight and all the politics are finished making noise.
this seems devastating. the MG series has had a good run but seems to just be hitting a new level of awesomeness. really too bad for it all to come crumbling down now. and dont get me started on silent hills. ive said it before and ill say it again, i have never been so excited for a game in pretty much my entire video game playing life. this is a huge blow to me.
He'll get his own studio from Sony. They will give him a budget, and let him do what he wants. Sony is known for allowing devs to be creative, I think he'll join world wide studios, it's a match made in heaven, and news if Kojima games back exclusively to playstation would send sales soaring off anticipation alone.
If he ever did sign with Sony, he'd definitely get to start his own studio branch, and be allowed to work on whatever he pleases; he has strong ties to Sony.
But I think it would be more likely he goes completely independent. I'm sure he can fund his own game. At least the first one.
I was never a big fan of MGS but I think this isnt necesarily bad news for fans. its best for a game (or movies or books) to end with a great episode rather then draggin it on untill everybody is sick and tired of it. And this guy will get plenty of opportunity to start something new
@Punished_Boss_84 I wouldn't mind some remakes of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 so they fit more inline with the rest of the series
Well at least Konami isn't putting the MGS franchise in the closet like Capcom did with Mega Man when it's creator left.
I look forward to eventually playing the new games fron the team.
Sony! Go get Kojima into Sony Camp now!!!
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