Report: Creator Hideo Kojima parts ways with Konami; in talks with Sony

The latest turn in the ongoing drama between Hideo Kojima and Konami appears to be that the two have officially parted ways.

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Anyone out there waiting for the latest bizarre turn in the ongoing saga between Konami and Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima? The latest news appears to be that the standoff is over, with Kojima officially parting ways with Konami and working to put together a new studio.

The report comes from Japanese publication Nikkei (via Polygon), which notes that Kojima has left Konami as of this morning. On top of that, Kojima looks to be in talks with PlayStation in regards to making a new studio. (Update: It has also been suggested that the translation points to Kojima being in talks to create a new game for PlayStation, not so much a studio.)

The frosty relationship between Konami and Kojima has only gotten colder over the last few months, with the conflict reaching a fever pitch during the Game Awards when host Geoff Keighly revealed that Konami had legally prevented Kojima from being at the show to accept any awards. If the relationship is truly over, it marks a new beginning for Kojima and one without Snake, who will remain a licensed Konami property.

Shacknews has reached out to Konami for comment, but given previous Konami statements, don't be surprised if there are still more twists to the story coming soon.

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Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?

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  • reply
    December 15, 2015 10:09 AM

    Ozzie Mejia posted a new article, Report: Creator Hideo Kojima parts ways with Konami; in talks with Sony

    • reply
      December 15, 2015 10:27 AM

      Their loss, though it doesn't seem like they care much. Isn't all their money from gambling boxes anyway?

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        December 15, 2015 10:30 AM

        if it was, it's not like they'll just say how much money people are losing gambling

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        December 15, 2015 12:21 PM

        I assumed they cared to some extent since they were petty enough to not allow Kojima to come to an awards show

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      December 15, 2015 10:32 AM

      Sony ought to bring Kojima-san in as a first party developer and then buy the rights to MSG from Konami. That would be amazing.

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      December 15, 2015 10:45 AM

      Surprised MS didn't grab him. Probably tried.

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        December 15, 2015 11:04 AM

        I'm sure they did. Though I doubt that he would have done something with Microsoft. Sony helped make Metal Gear Solid what it was. Kojima setting up shop at the Sony almost seems toooooo logical.

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          December 15, 2015 11:07 AM

          Plus probably a bit more natural in terms of location and game studios going with Sony. Plus Sony does a really good job when it comes to managing its studios.

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            December 15, 2015 11:13 AM

            If he can get Yoji Shinkawa and Julien Merceron back, I'd be really happy.

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              December 15, 2015 7:44 PM

              With the studio effectively dead I'm assuming he'll pull a ton of people back in and Sony will be happy to do it. Honestly they seem like the only major Japanese publisher at this point that really seems to have it together when it comes to international markets. Seems like everyone else has lost touch and become shells of their former selves. Konami seems to have straight up lost their minds.

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        December 15, 2015 7:39 PM

        Maybe halfheartedly. They don't seem that interested in the game console segment.

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      December 15, 2015 10:48 AM

      Break out Kojima. Let Sony give you a home.

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      December 15, 2015 12:05 PM

      I predicted this, not surprising since Sony's provided support on Fox Engine development for many years.

      They're the only ones who can give Kojima everything he wants, including the tie-in to making films.

      I'm just surprised he didn't have some sort of multi year no compete clause.

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        December 15, 2015 12:19 PM

        Maybe he did :O

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        December 15, 2015 1:05 PM

        No Compete Clauses have no force of law in Outer Heaven.

        Outer Heaven?

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        December 15, 2015 7:46 PM

        Sony also seems to give their studios a lot of room to do what they need to do to get it right.

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        December 15, 2015 9:12 PM

        if Konami can legally prevent him from attending an awards program, I am afraid of what else that bodes..

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      December 15, 2015 12:59 PM

      [deleted]

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        December 15, 2015 1:04 PM

        Does it really do anything special that a modified Frostbyte or Unreal Engine couldn't?

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        December 15, 2015 6:00 PM

        Fox engine belongs to konami. Their other cash cow, pro evolution soccer, uses it.

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        December 15, 2015 7:15 PM

        I bet Cerny could hook him up with a Sony first party engine real quick

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      December 15, 2015 5:12 PM

      Well Konami pretty much nuked that bridge from orbit. The only certain thing at this point is that they will hold a death grip on beloved ip's. Viewing the choices they have been making over the past year, they will probably royally fuck them up also. IMO the faster the company goes out of business so others can snag the IP's the better off we will be.

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      December 15, 2015 7:21 PM

      The box art for Kojima's next game's been leaked

      http://i.imgur.com/pwX4z47.jpg

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      December 16, 2015 5:00 AM

      It's official. Huge deal for Sony IMO. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=annuTcmB1rw

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