Hideo Kojima, the man behind Metal Gear Solid series, who has been serving at Konami for about three decades of service, is set to part ways. According to Gamespot, the conflict between Kojima and Konami has led to senior staff at the studio giving restricted access to corporate internet, emails, and phone calls.
Hideo will be at Konami till the upcoming game Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain and will have limited appearance for the promotion of the game.
“After we finish MGSV, Kojima and upper management will leave Konami. They said their contract ends in December,” said the source.
Konami has now begun erasing the Kojima Productions logo from all official Metal Gear art, and it has demoted Hideo from its executive team. Meanwhile, Kojima Productions’ branding has also been removed from Twitter, the official Metal Gear website, and even the LA office listing.
Konami in a recent statement said:
“To Customers,
Thank you for your continued patronage of KONAMI products and services.
The latest title in the METAL GEAR series, “METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN” (below, “MGSV: TPP”), will be released as planned starting on Tuesday, September 1st, 2015 in North America, Latin America, and Europe, followed by Japan and Asia on Wednesday, September 2nd. Hideo Kojima will remain involved throughout.
Hideo Kojima stated, “I want to reassure fans that I am 100% involved and will continue working on METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN; I’m determined to make it the greatest game I’ve directed to date. Don’t miss it!”
In addition, KONAMI will continue to develop and distribute top-quality content in the METAL GEAR series following “MGSV: TPP.” We greatly anticipate and deeply appreciate your ongoing support for METAL GEAR.
As the next step in the series, KONAMI has already resolved to develop new METAL GEAR.”