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[V_Ben]

Konami's PR non-answer: http://www.videogamer.com/ps4/metal...mi_responds_to_hideo_kojima_exit_rumours.html

In a statement provided to VideoGamer.com, a Konami representative said: "Konami Digital Entertainment, including Mr. Kojima, will continue to develop and support Metal Gear products. Please look forward to future announcements."

More coverage from Eurogamer: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...er&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialoomph

The branding changes appear to relate to a restructure at Konami, announced earlier this month, to what the company calls "a headquarters-controlled system".

The idea seems to be that Konami should be front and centre of all branding and production efforts, not individual studios such as Kojima's Kojima Productions. This, in part, would explain the removal of "A Hideo Kojima game" tagline, used in all Metal Gear Solid games up to this point.

And it looks like the Kojima Productions LA studio, set up in September 2013 assist Kojima Productions with Metal Gear development, has been renamed Konami Los Angeles Studio.

The Kojima Productions LA studio appears to have been renamed to Konami Los Angeles Studio.
Konami issued Eurogamer a follow-up statement on the changes:
"As we have already announced, we are shifting our production structure to a headquarters-controlled system, in order to establish a steadfast operating base capable of responding to the rapid market changes that surround our digital entertainment business."

Also worth noting: http://www.konami-digital-entertain...se/2015/0303/?cm_sp=01-_-release-_-20150303-e

Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. hereby announces the following organizational restructuring and personnel changes.

Organizational Restructuring (Effective March 16, 2015)
We are shifting our production structure to a headquarters-controlled system, in order to establish a steadfast operating base capable of responding to the rapid market changes that surround our digital entertainment business.
Production Division 1(New Division)
Production Division 2(New Division)
Production Division 3(New Division)
Production Management Division(New Division)
Sales Division(New Division)
Public Relations and Promotion Division
Intellectual Property Division(New Division)

---

Mod Abuse Updates:

https://twitter.com/Kojima_Pro_Live/status/578473094995542016

What's going on?

MGS5 Splash Page back in Feb: http://web.archive.org/web/20150223193621/http://www.konami.jp/mgs5/

MGS5 Splash Page now: http://www.konami.jp/mgs5/

Look at the footer.

Something has definitely happened. KojiPro's site is now gone and it just redirects to a new MGS portal

http://www.konami.jp/kojima_pro/japanese/

The old KojiPro site also had a link to follow Kojima on Twitter while the MGS portal only has the one for the MGS Twitter account.

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/

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.

---

Well, this seems odd.

http://www.konami-digital-entertainment.co.jp/en/news/release/2015/0304/?cm_sp=01-_-release-_-20150304-e

March 4, 2015
Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. hereby announces the following executive appointments.
1. Executive Appointments (Effective April 1, 2015)
Representative Director, President
Hideki Hayakawa (Preferment)
Director
Katsunori Okita
Director
Yoshihiko Ota (Newly appointed)
Director
Shinya Tanabe
Director
Masato Kubota
Standing Corporate Auditor
Ryuji Kizu
Corporate Auditor
Shinichi Furukawa

2. Corporate Officers (Effective April 1, 2015)
Executive Officer
Katsunori Okita
Executive Officer
Sadaaki Kaneyoshi
Corporate Officer
Shoji Dewa (Newly appointed)
Corporate Officer
Masato Okuaki (Newly appointed)
Corporate Officer
Kazutaka Kubota (Newly appointed)
Corporate Officer
Shinji Hirano (Newly appointed)

3. Regarding the President and Representative Director
Hideki Hayakawa (Born June 17, 1970)
September, 1996
Joined KONAMI CORPORATION
November, 2011
Corporate Officer,
Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
November, 2013
Senior Corporate Officer,
Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
July, 2014
Representative Director, Vice President
Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.

As of this page, he was the 'Executive Content Officer'

 

[PurpleMoustache]

April fools?

 

[The Cartographer]

https://twitter.com/Kojima_Pro_Live/status/578473094995542016

What's going on?

 

[Ridley327]

I can't imagine it being more than Kojima wanting to focus more on developing games and having the extra responsibility of being an exec was interfering with that, but who knows.

 

[The_Monk]

April fool's?

EDIT: Aww

 

[Cosmonaut X]

The twist: he's going to assume total control of the company, rename it Kojami Digitroll Entertainment Co., Ltd and bring PES, Silent Hill etc. into the MGS universe.

 

[Freedom = $1.05]

April fool's?

when there are shareholders holding you accountable you don't fuck around like this.

also, if Kojima were to leave Konami they would basically be the folks who make an ok soccer game every year and that's about it.

 

[Omikaru]

Maybe he wants to go back to concentrating on games. He has moaned about having to do business stuff instead of creative stuff in the past.

Spoiler

Or MGSV really is his last because he's leaving Konami.

 

[Kyoufu]

Wouldn't be shocked if he left.

 

[shanafan]

April fools?

Not sure Japanese companies play April Fools jokes

 

[Welfare]

V is really his last MGS?

 

[stan423321]

April fools?

No, beginning of fiscal year in Japan. All sort of stuff happens around that.

 

[packy34]

April fool's?

Not likely. April 1 is the beginning of the fiscal year for a lot of corporations.

 

[De-mon]

Koji Pro going independent?

 

[OnionPowder]

Wasn't he just appointed last year?

http://www.konami-digital-entertain...se/2014/0703/?cm_sp=01-_-release-_-20140703-e


Edit: That list you showed didn't show content officers I think. Only positions that are changing.

 

[Ramza]

He's going to work at Platinum

 

[Kama_1082]

Kojima is playing us like a fiddle!

 

[Nintendojitsu]

Dawg will be pissed for sure.

 

[mp1990]

But isn't he working on Silent Hills ? What happens with that ?

 

[georly]

Wouldn't be shocked if he left.

If he leaves and goes indy, i'd back any kickstarter he makes, for sure. It'd be nice if he stayed, and I hate to see him go, but maybe it's for the best. Let's see what this ends up being.

 

[YianGaruga]

He was CG all along!

#TeamCG

 

[CypherSignal]

April fool's?

EDIT: Aww

Konami's fiscal year starts in April. Quarterly/annual boundaries like that are convenient to work with.

 

[Jb]

I hope that's not a sign of bad news to come.

 

[KojiKnight]

He finally did it... the crazy bastard is finally leaving Konami and freeing himself from the Metal Gear franchise... God speed Kojima!

 

[wildfire]

I guess this really will be his last Metal Gear

 

[7DollarHagane]

Probably konami board sick of footing the bill for mgs games. Need that money for more mobile stuff.

 

[LiK]

Kojima finally escaping Konami's clutches?

 

[Shmuppers]

He's going to Platinum

 

[epmode]

Finally. Poor guy has been trapped for years.

 

[Alienous]

https://twitter.com/Kojima_Pro_Live/status/578473094995542016

What's going on?

Kojima's leaving Konami?

If that were true, I'd be fucking pissed if I were Konami. "Dude, we let you name an entire development studio after yourself".

 

[RealityPales]

 

[Gusy]

Shit.. there goes ZOE 3

 

[strafer]

Kojima to join Naughty Dog?

 

[NeoGeoOwner]

HISTORY BEING MADE

 

[Alcoholikaust]

 

[5amshift]

Konami will close doors even sooner now.

 

[TheSlySoul]

Really, on April 1st?
Also, what will happen to Silent Hills?

 

[Lady Siara]

Please don't let this impact Silent Hills.

If he leaves Konami, what do they even have left? A bunch of IPs they aren't using and The Lords of Shadow series?

 

[koutoru]

Thought it could be a April fools joke until I remembered most Japanese businesses fiscal year starts on April 1st.

 

[Crimson_Gold]

Konami will close doors even sooner now.

Not before they give me another suikoden

 

[OnionPowder]

Really, on April 1st?
Also, what will happen to Silent Hills?

April 1st is also when Square and Enix merged IIRC

 

[The Cartographer]

Shit.. there goes ZOE 3

Why?

ZOE is Okamura's game.

 

[Chairhome]

So according to that tweet, seems like Kojima Productions is shutting down or changing names, too?

SKY IS FALLING

I will follow you, Kojima. Follow you wherever you may go

 

[RealityPales]

What the hell is Konami minus Kojima Productions?

 

[Nintendojitsu]

And all that was left was an empty shell...

 

[TheSlySoul]

April 1st is also when Square and Enix merged IIRC

Guess Japan does not celebrate April Fool's. It is the only explanation.

 

[Ramza]

WAIT! I doubt he's leaving Konami. Like someone said above, he's probably just stepping back into a more creative position. I mean, he has to give us Silent Hills after all. DON'T YOU FUCK ME OVER ON THIS KOJIMA

Guess Japan does not celebrate April Fool's. It is the only explanation.

I consider the merger of Square and Enix the longest running and cruelest April Fools joke of all time.

 

[RealityPales]

So according to that tweet, seems like Kojima Productions is shutting down or changing names, too?

SKY IS FALLING

I will follow you, Kojima. Follow you wherever you may go

OUYA, even?

 

[HK-47]

What the hell is Konami minus Kojima Productions?

Arent they into mobile?

 

[Valnen]

Wouldn't be shocked if he left.

Makes sense. There's no way Konami would ever let him quit making MGS games. His only options are make more or leave, probably.