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[Xpliskin]

Not sure if this Google Cache link works, but the KPLA (Kojima Productions LA) site now redirects to Konami's main site.

Site on March 18th: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:2IobEIHWoU8J:www.kjpla.konami.com/
Site now: http://www.kjpla.konami.com/


The image in the middle of the Google Cache link is this: http://i.imgur.com/SeVw7Bk.jpg

Seeing that they are a brand new studio this is super suspicious.

I'd guess something went down.

 

[Tomodachi]

Kojima buying and renaming Konami confirmed. Konami saved.

 

[YianGaruga]

What if Kojima never really existed?

 

[sasliquid]

People getting scared about Silent Hills.... Maybe that's the point?

 

[hamchan]

Seems like they have removed traces of "A Hideo Kojima game" from Legacy Collection and Ground Zeroes related pages too. Crazy.

Before: http://web.archive.org/web/20141129121304/https://www.konami.com/mgs/
Now: https://www.konami.com/mgs/

Fucking respect the man at least Konami.

 

[Lernaean]

Next Konami PR will say that no man named Hideo Kojima ever worked in the company.

 

[Nibel]

Wow.

This is something huge; hope the dev team is well.

 

[eso76]

That sounds like he's working on the game from outside Konami, like a freelancer.

I think Kojigod is too creative to keep making MGS games forever, good for him if he broke free from Konami.


He'll never retire.

This also sounds like he's not working on Silent Hills

 

[Omnipunctual Godot]

This is definitely not how I wanted to wake up. Silent Hills still needs to happen. Konami might as well turn into a pachinko company without Kojima.

 

[EatChildren]

history is relative

 

[duckroll]

Not sure if this Google Cache link works, but the KPLA (Kojima Productions LA) site now redirects to Konami's main site.

Site on March 18th: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:2IobEIHWoU8J:www.kjpla.konami.com/
Site now: http://www.kjpla.konami.com/


The image in the middle of the Google Cache link is this: http://i.imgur.com/SeVw7Bk.jpg

Whoa whoa there's more:

http://web.archive.org/web/20150221023132/http://konami-digital-entertainment.com/jobs.php

Feb 21st - Kojima Productions Los Angeles (West Los Angeles, CA)

http://www.konami-digital-entertainment.com/jobs.php

Now - Konami Los Angeles Studio (West Los Angeles, CA)


Yup, KojiPro as a branding is dead.

 

[Don'tBeWeird]

What the hell is going on?

 

[CreeperBlocks]

What's this mean for Silent Hills? if he is leaving that is.

 

[FourMyle]

That sounds like he's working on the game from outside Konami, like a freelancer.

That's what I thought as well.

 

[Welfare]

Next Konami PR will say that no man named Hideo Kojima ever worked in the company.

Metal Gear was a ruse. A ploy by the Patriots to distract us.

 

[CengizMan]

They are erasing the guy's name. The suits probably got really mad.

 

[Kyoufu]

Holy shit. He wont leave mgs5 development right? Shiiiiiiiit.

MGSV is content complete.

 

[Slowdive]

Whoa whoa there's more:

http://web.archive.org/web/20150221023132/http://konami-digital-entertainment.com/jobs.php

Feb 21st - Kojima Productions Los Angeles (West Los Angeles, CA)

http://www.konami-digital-entertainment.com/jobs.php

Now - Konami Los Angeles Studio (West Los Angeles, CA)


Yup, KojiPro as a branding is dead.

Damn.

 

[Radec]

Team CGI(fake)
or
Team Real

Choose your sides again boys.

 

[Lifejumper]

history is relative

Thats fucking disgusting.

 

[AHindD]

Fucking respect the man at least Konami.

At least it reinforces the fact that if he left, he made the right damn decision. Man is a legendary creator, respect his prior work.

 

[jimi_dini]

They haven't removed Kojima from every graphic.

For example: https://www.konami.com/wp-content/themes/konami/images/banners/MGSTPP_Konami_Banner.jpg

 

[baterism]

Considering he was also making Silent Hills, it seems questionable to me that he would just suddenly decide to retire.

Could be that project got awry, konami don't want TLG 2.0, shit get canned, and he get *gasp* forced retirement.

Oh well, there's no use to speculate for now. Let's hope for the best.

 

[striferser]

Remember this news from a few days ago?
http://www.siliconera.com/2015/03/16/loveplus-producer-character-designer-leave-konami/

"LovePlus Producer And Character Designer Leave Konami"

Kojima opening a new studio to make dating sims?

The brightest minds at Konami are building their own new super studio.

I'm okay with this.

Seems like they have removed traces of "A Hideo Kojima game" from Legacy Collection and Ground Zeroes related pages too. Crazy.

Before: http://web.archive.org/web/20141129121304/https://www.konami.com/mgs/
Now: https://www.konami.com/mgs/

Now this is insane. Kojima retiring?

 

[GillianSeed79]

Seems like they have removed traces of "A Hideo Kojima game" from Legacy Collection and Ground Zeroes related pages too. Crazy.

Before: http://web.archive.org/web/20141129121304/https://www.konami.com/mgs/
Now: https://www.konami.com/mgs/

This is odd. The other removal I figured could be explained away by a mere oversight or incompetence, but this looks deliberate. But Konami is denying the rumors?

 

[Schadenfreude]

We all know what's happening here, right?

Obviously Kojima is leaving Konami to work with Aksys on ZE3. Boom.

 

[NotLiquid]

Kojima is alright

... right?

 

[jett]

They even scrubbed his name off all the boxarts. The fuck?

 

[SpotAnime]

Microsoft should give him an unlimited budget and the freedom to develop whatever game he wants. The meltdown would destroy this forum. It would be the only true megaton level announcement this generation.

I went there immediately after reading the OP. Would not be a stretch to have MS buy Kojipro given their deep pockets and appetite to gain ground by acquisition.

That, or Sony decided to buy Kojipro to combat the news of the Uncharted delay and perception of lack of first-party releases.

And to be clear, I don't have an issue with either of these scenarios. Business is business. And if Kojipro is indeed going indie, I think the likelihood of them making an exclusivity deal for funding is rather high.

 

[CTLance]

I'm kind of in a "watch the world burn" mood. I say, Iwata is now best pals with Kojima and has given him his own studio and free reign. This is a bid to offset the negative word of mouth in gaming circles about their DeNA mobile stint, and to hype Nintendo NX.

Boy, that would be a thread for the ages. I doubt NeoGAF would be able to withstand the shitstorm. I'd probably laugh myself to an early grave from the reactions.

 

[GCX]

Whoa whoa there's more:

http://web.archive.org/web/20150221023132/http://konami-digital-entertainment.com/jobs.php

Feb 21st - Kojima Productions Los Angeles (West Los Angeles, CA)

http://www.konami-digital-entertainment.com/jobs.php

Now - Konami Los Angeles Studio (West Los Angeles, CA)


Yup, KojiPro as a branding is dead.

Yep, Kojima Productions LA seems to now officially be Konami Los Angeles Studio.

 

[Jonnax]

history is relative

Wow. I thought honor and shame was a big part of Japanese culture.

 

[Pooya]

It wasn't going to last forever and they can't call the studio Kojima productions when he's not there anymore, don't think they will close shop, might as well close Konami Digital Ent in that case. He's probably just retiring, not doing anything else.

 

[Mpl90]

Whoa whoa there's more:

http://web.archive.org/web/20150221023132/http://konami-digital-entertainment.com/jobs.php

Feb 21st - Kojima Productions Los Angeles (West Los Angeles, CA)

http://www.konami-digital-entertainment.com/jobs.php

Now - Konami Los Angeles Studio (West Los Angeles, CA)


Yup, KojiPro as a branding is dead.

When DetectiveGAF goes deep, it's legitimately scary for everyone. EVERYONE.

 

[YianGaruga]

We all know what's happening here, right?

Obviously Kojima is leaving Konami to work with Aksys on ZE3. Boom.

Including VN and dating sim elements. I think we're on to something here

 

[AHindD]

They haven't removed Kojima from every graphic.

For example: https://www.konami.com/wp-content/themes/konami/images/banners/MGSTPP_Konami_Banner.jpg

Photoshop guys are on their lunch break.

 

[dancrane212]

Seems like they have removed traces of "A Hideo Kojima game" from Legacy Collection and Ground Zeroes related pages too. Crazy.

Before: http://web.archive.org/web/20141129121304/https://www.konami.com/mgs/
Now: https://www.konami.com/mgs/

Wow, I had just figured the link was going to look like the logo was just removed from a CSS page for all Konami's sites. Didn't think it was actually new images without Kojima's name.

 

[PumpkinSpice]

What the fuck

Even of Kojima had quit or was fired, how can you do this? Imagine WB scrubbing off the name of a movie's director because he made a movie at Universal.

Petty motherfuckers.

The closest thing I can think of that compares is Penn State's wiping of Joe Paterno from its branding and history so... yeah I think this is going to be something huge.

 

[Loris146]

Whoa whoa there's more:

http://web.archive.org/web/20150221023132/http://konami-digital-entertainment.com/jobs.php

Feb 21st - Kojima Productions Los Angeles (West Los Angeles, CA)

http://www.konami-digital-entertainment.com/jobs.php

Now - Konami Los Angeles Studio (West Los Angeles, CA)


Yup, KojiPro as a branding is dead.

Holy shit lol

 

[Fersis]

history is relative

Whoa whoa there's more:

http://web.archive.org/web/20150221023132/http://konami-digital-entertainment.com/jobs.php

Feb 21st - Kojima Productions Los Angeles (West Los Angeles, CA)

http://www.konami-digital-entertainment.com/jobs.php

Now - Konami Los Angeles Studio (West Los Angeles, CA)


Yup, KojiPro as a branding is dead.

Dang, its true.
Since Kojima is no longer part of Konami makes sense to remove his name from everywhere.

Koji pls

 

[KingSnake]

Seems like they have removed traces of "A Hideo Kojima game" from Legacy Collection and Ground Zeroes related pages too. Crazy.

Before: http://web.archive.org/web/20141129121304/https://www.konami.com/mgs/
Now: https://www.konami.com/mgs/

This is an Inquisition (the institution, not he game) kind of move. He's guilty of some capital sin if he must be removed from all the books.

 

[Macrotus]

history is relative

This is just sad...

The only reason MGS is at its current state is because of Kojima.
I'm seriously against removing his name even if he is going to leave.
Show some respect Konami!!

 

[Sephzilla]

"Is this Kojima's final Metal Gear game?!"

"What does the future hold for Silent Hills?!"

"Tune in next week, same Bat Time, same Bat Channel"

I dunno, this reeks of a Kojima stunt to me.

 

[Xpliskin]

If he's retiring, why erase his name ?

Whatever happened must be negative

 

[FourMyle]

history is relative

some old exec must be really mad at Kojima

 

[Fox_Mulder]

I have faith in Del Toro, but without Kojima silent hill won't be the same thing.

 

[Welfare]

They haven't removed Kojima from every graphic.

For example: https://www.konami.com/wp-content/themes/konami/images/banners/MGSTPP_Konami_Banner.jpg

Good job. You've alerted them that they missed a spot.

 

[josecitoxnyo]

I knew Koji Pro was CG all along.

 

[Alienous]

I'm assuming part of this has to do with Kojima actually wanting to finally end the Metal Gear series and obviously that won't sit well with Konami. Understandably it's the company's biggest cash cow, there's no way they'd let it go. They've likely taken over complete control of the IP.

This was bound to happen eventually. Hideo can't work on the series until his death.

Kojima: Alright, guys, I really think I'm done. I've "closed the loop", and I think I've taken the franchise as far as it can go.
Konami: So this is you're last?
Kojima: Yeah.
Konami: You're sure?
Kojima: Yep, I'm ready to work on other IP.
Konami: Heh.
Kojima: ?
Konami: You see, that won't be necessary.
Kojima: !
Konami: We appreciate your services, Mr. Kojima. They have been required ... until now.
Kojima: You...! You were never going to let me work on other IP!
Konami: Hah, you finally realized. We've given you tastes, here and there, but just to keep you happy making Metal Gear. But we're taking control now. You're fired, Shinkawa-san has been most useful in your demise.
Kojima: Shinkawa ... you betrayed me?
Shinkawa: ...
Konami: He's been there all along. Some might say he knows the franchise better than you.
Kojima: I won't let you take Metal Gear from me. I'll let it die before that happens!
Konami: Security, escort this man.
Kojima: I'll be back, just you wait ...
Konami: So, Shinkawa-san, what's next for Metal Gear?
Shinkawa: ...
Konami: Perfect.

 

[King Tubby]

If Kojima were retiring there would be little reason at all to remove his name from the branding. The scenario that makes more sense is that he's jumping ship or starting his own company.