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[Jindrax]

Source in french OG source on a PODCAST

Apparently Kojima was super expensive, he was getting payed a fixed rate regardless of how much the game sells. He also delayed the game because he was unhappy countless times.
He also just pulled general Kojima-esque things, like have the music composer (I'm guessing Harry Greggson Williams?) make a bunch of songs, then he doesn't like them so he doesn't bother using them after they payed for them.

The source of the info is Rika Muranaka, one of the composers on MGS1-2-3.
She says he was let go for not being business oriented.

Daley: "The main reason for the falling out, at least in her opinion, is that Kojima gets paid a salary, and doesn't make any profit share on the game. He gets paid a certain amount no matter what, and he was spending so much money and delaying the project, and adding all these features and making sure the game was the biggest and best thing it could be, and Konami was unhappy with that because [delaying] has no effect on him. He was spending the budget on this and that and upgrading the Fox Engine and then delaying further because the engine wasn't ready, and Konami wasn't happy with that because he gets his salary and he takes a more traditional "Japanese man" approach by not taking a profit share. So in doing that, he gets a little more than a game creator would but doesn't take bonuses from the game selling well."

Yong: "So you're telling me that Kojima wanting to make the game the best it can be is what started the conflict?"

Daley: Yes. In her eyes, Kojima's a fantastic creator, and probably the best creator of his time, but he doesn't have a strong business sense like Konami would like him to have. Where instead of, for example, cutting corners by lowering foliage resolution, he wants to make sure everything looks as good and polished as possible. She said they paid for her to write 30-40 songs that ended up not being used, and he'd tell her to write another one, then another one, then another one, because he settles for what he likes and has a good mind for what people want to see and what people want to hear. (Amen on that, yo: Avirdi's personal addition).

Daley: "She's worked directly with Kojima for the music before so she does have some insight, and personally believes that the music has suffered in MGSV because she's not a part of it, because they couldn't afford her. So instead of paying her to go to all these people and recruit them for the music, they chose to remove her from the equation and go to the people directly."

Clarification of Rika Muranaka's Kojima/Konami Statement[/QUOTE]

 

[SomedayTheFire]

Not shocked at all by that really.

 

[Finale Fireworker]

Fuck Konami, but if true, I understand why they fired him and I'm not surprised by the outcome. That's wasteful and unprofessional, esteemed artist or not.

 

[meptrep]

Not related but can we stop using the suffix "gate" for things like this? "KojimaGate" sounds extremely dumb.

 

[dhonk]

I wouldnt doubt it honestly, the game has $$$$$$$ written all over it. And thats partially why I love the series, a high budget game with an auteur's hand. Shit probably costs money.

 

[shwimpy]

Well no shit. Guy's a perfectionist.

 

[bigkrev]

None of this should come to a surprise to anyone.

 

[Alcoholikaust]

*Salutes

Sort of figured this was the case though.

 

[L33T]

There were better alternatives to how Konami could have handled this, but no, they just go and throw away one of their biggest moneymakers and long-time worker groups.

 

[Crimsonclaw111]

I'd love a detailed breakdown of this game's budget, it seems extremely ambitious.

 

[neogaffer1]

not surprised at all

isn't being too expensive the same reason Marty O'Donell (sp?) was fired from Bungie?

 

[Krejlooc]

He's worth all the money, IMO.

 

[BadWolf]

Thanks for not sparing any expense for your final MGS, Kojima.

 

[QuantumBro]

Not related but can we stop using the suffix "gate" for things like this? "KojimaGate" sounds extremely dumb.

How about Kojimagahzi?

 

[Tempy]

Stuff not being used happens ALL THE TIME btw.

 

[Xater]

Sounds like the reason everyone suspected. He's no fit for Konami, a company that wants to just produce cheap shit for maximum profit if possible.

 

[NegativeCero]

Not related but can we stop using the suffix "gate" for things like this? "KojimaGate" sounds extremely dumb.

Please. I second this. It's just dumb.

 

[Korezo]

I heard he was a jerk.

 

[Callibretto]

whatever Kojima gonna do next, I think we'll have to accept that he's not going to have nearly the same freedom in term of budget ever again...

 

[Dusk Golem]

I disapprove of 'Gate' becoming some term for any sort of dramatic situation in gaming. Not only is it dumb sounding, and completely different situations, but it brings up bad memories.

If this is true, it's a bit more sensible, though Konami responded badly, and I feel there's fault on both parts. BUT, this is also a rumor and I want to know how this site would know this and not other, bigger sites.

 

[Easy_D]

Not related but can we stop using the suffix "gate" for things like this? "KojimaGate" sounds extremely dumb.

Using "Gate" for scandals has been a thing since Watergate . If you consider this news a scandal or not is up for debate though

 

[Aaronrules380]

Not really surprising. But yeah, I don't know that Kojima is completely in the right to act like this, since going in the red hurts a lot of people in the company (most of whom are way worse off than him)

 

[NoblesseOblige]

This is too mundane to satisfy my need for controversy. I will continue investing in the theory that Kojima was plotting an overthrow of Konami.

Spoiler

No I didn't actually believe that.

 

[Ryouji Gunblade]

Konami needed Kojima. Kojima doesn't need Konami.

 

[Jigorath]

I don't think Kojima being a perfectionist who spends a massive amount of money on his games would really surprise anyone.

 

[BibiMaghoo]

Lol, Konami have the money. They are fools to throw him away for that. I'm sure he made them enough with his games to cover it and then some.

 

[mcz117chief]

He also delayed the game because he was unhappy countless times.

Thank the Lord for that honestly. I can imagine Kojima can be pretty demanding, which is part of the reason why we love him so much

 

[Primethius]

Not really surprised by this news if it ends up being true.

Kojima does come off as a perfectionist.

 

[Krejlooc]

Using "Gate" for scandals has been a thing since Watergate . If you consider this news a scandal or not is up for debate though

Not really, while big scandals comparable to watergate itself were affixed the "gate" suffix, the modern overuse is relatively recent. -Gate doesn't refer to any news or scandal, it historically had a pretty narrow reach (i.e. election scandals).

 

[dmr87]

Yes, and how much money has Konami made of off Metal Gear and Kojima?

 

[RustyNails]

Sounds like the reason everyone suspected. He's no fit for Konami, a company that wants to just produce cheap shit for maximum profit if possible.

Honestly Konami doesn't deserve neither Kojima nor the Metal Gear series despite both doing wonders for it.

Do we know if Kojima owns the MGS IP or Konami?

 

[dark10x]

I wouldnt doubt it honestly, the game has $$$$$$$ written all over it. And thats partially why I love the series, a high budget game with an auteur's hand. Shit probably costs money.

Same here. There's really not much else out there like it.

 

[xxracerxx]

He also just pulled general Kojima-esque things, like have the music composer (I'm guessing Harry Greggson Williams?) make a bunch of songs, then he doesn't like them so he doesn't bother using them after they payed for them.

How in the world is this a 'Kojima-esque' thing? This happens in business all the fucking time.

 

[plasmawave]

 

[Exterminieren]

Using "Gate" for scandals has been a thing since Watergate . If you consider this news a scandal or not is up for debate though

-Gate wasn't a suffix in that case, though; the hotel was just called the Watergate Hotel.

I know it's a fairly common thing, but using -Gate is a pet peeve of mine.

 

[massoluk]

To be honest, I never imagine Kojima being one of the better ROI in the industry.
But we kinda need people like him, because the opposites are most of the successful mobile games

 

[CapitalismSucks DonkeyBalls]

He's the Top Gear of game development. Throw money at him because the return investment will be huge. Shame on you, Konami.

 

[Lostconfused]

Yeah this isn't juicy at all. The reasoning is as plain and dull as a glass of water.

 

[LiK]

Konami has been milking this franchise forever and if this is true, that makes this even more laughable.

 

[Sheppard]

Being expensive and costing to much money are two different things. What I learned here was that he was a bit to much Sergio Leone/Stanley Kubrick in things.

I think it is time for him to jump mediums.

 

[Callibretto]

Sounds like the reason everyone suspected. He's no fit for Konami, a company that wants to just produce cheap shit for maximum profit if possible.

looking at Phantom Pain scope, I think that game budget would make any publisher have second thoughts, it's not just Konami being cheap I think. I mean, they did spent the money for Phantom Pain until they thought enough is enough.

 

[newjeruse]

Sounds like almost every great auteur ever.

 

[Astarte]

Honestly Konami doesn't deserve neither Kojima nor the Metal Gear series despite both doing wonders for it.

Do we know if Kojima owns the MGS IP or Konami?

It's 100% Konami. Why is this even a question?

 

[Savitar]

It's kinda typical for businesses, unless someone makes a huge profit and if they are seen wasting money they can be fired. Doesn't matter who they are.

Of course it can depend on the business and if your the CEO with a golden parachute or not.

 

[AAK]

He's no fit for Konami, a company that wants to just produce cheap shit for maximum profit if possible.

Not just Konami... but pretty much every single company on the planet. No one will ever give Kojima that much money and that much control ever again.

The only chance is a KickStarter that gets Star Citizen levels of funding.

 

[Krejlooc]

Do we know if Kojima owns the MGS IP or Konami?

Konami obviously owns the IP. They've made Metal Gear games without Kojima even knowing.

 

[Slowdive]

For those who can't listen:

Daley: "The main reason for the falling out, at least in her opinion, is that Kojima gets paid a salary, and doesn't make any profit share on the game. He gets paid a certain amount no matter what, and he was spending so much money and delaying the project, and adding all these features and making sure the game was the biggest and best thing it could be, and Konami was unhappy with that because [delaying] has no effect on him. He was spending the budget on this and that and upgrading the Fox Engine and then delaying further because the engine wasn't ready, and Konami wasn't happy with that because he gets his salary and he takes a more traditional "Japanese man" approach by not taking a profit share. So in doing that, he gets a little more than a game creator would but doesn't take bonuses from the game selling well."

Yong: "So you're telling me that Kojima wanting to make the game the best it can be is what started the conflict?"

Daley: Yes. In her eyes, Kojima's a fantastic creator, and probably the best creator of his time, but he doesn't have a strong business sense like Konami would like him to have. Where instead of, for example, cutting corners by lowering foliage resolution, he wants to make sure everything looks as good and polished as possible. She said they paid for her to write 30-40 songs that ended up not being used, and he'd tell her to write another one, then another one, then another one, because he settles for what he likes and has a good mind for what people want to see and what people want to hear. (Amen on that, yo: Avirdi's personal addition).

Daley: "She's worked directly with Kojima for the music before so she does have some insight, and personally believes that the music has suffered in MGSV because she's not a part of it, because they couldn't afford her. So instead of paying her to go to all these people and recruit them for the music, they chose to remove her from the equation and go to the people directly."

https://www.reddit.com/r/metalgears...l_probably_never_have_the_entire_picture_but/

 

[akidnamededdy]

This is the exact reason I feel Kojima is going to have a hard time getting an independent studio off the ground. I can see the dude getting frustrated and doing something else entirely rather than trying to make a fresh start in gaming, the way he blows through money.

He does make great games though.

 

[Aaronrules380]

Sounds like the reason everyone suspected. He's no fit for Konami, a company that wants to just produce cheap shit for maximum profit if possible.

I feel like that's a bit unfair to Konami. Not saying they handled the situation well, or even that they're a good company, but I feel like based on what's been said very few companies would appreciate a guy like that. Making a quality product is pointless for a company if it puts them in the hole, and even if it's cool when you're a consumer, the people who suffer for it are the average workers at Konami

 

[Rajang]

He's worth all the money, IMO.

.