While rumors of whether Hideo Kojima will leave Konami after the completion of Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain continue to circulate, Konami has issued an official response on the matter. Using the Metal Gear Japanese Twitter account (via Kotaku), Konami confirms that removing Kojima's name is part of a rebranding effort designed to put Konami at the forefront. However, the company avoided direct remarks about Kojima's employment, and whether he was working as full time staff or as contractor.

Furthermore, Konami has neither confirmed nor denied rumors of Kojima Productions staff being restricted from email and interent use. However, it is known that Kojima will be doing fewer interviews.

Konami states:

"In accordance with the recent change in production organization of all of Konami, Kojima Productions, as well as other internal production companies, has had its name, etc., changed to move into the corporate headquarters work structure...The name and organization has changed, but as before, MGSV: TPP is continuing as a work from director Kojima and the existing team members."

Although the statements don't actually reveal whether or not Kojima is staying or going, the company reaffirms that he is still hard at work on MGS5: The Phantom Pain development.

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain is expected to release in September for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC.

Source: IGN