The rumors of bad-blood between game studio Konami and Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima has been very apparent the last couple of months. First, a rumor was making the rounds that Konami had ended their relationship with Kojima, only for the company to debunk rumors quickly afterwards.
Only a little while later Konami officially axed Silent Hills, a game that director Guillermo del Toro and Kojima had been working on with Walking Dead‘s Norman Reedus taking the lead role as the main character.
The company’s pettiness didn’t stop there as their lawyers prevented Hideo to accept the Best Action Video Game award Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain won at this year’s Video Game Awards. Putting actor Kiefer Sutherland in his place, then the confirmation of the situation made by the host, revealing that the creator who’d been apart of the franchise since it’s first release in 1987 was blocked from attending the event by Konami.
This after learning Konami would be pursuing more Metal Gear installments without the help of Hideo. A sad legacy that the game franchise will have to suffer at the hands of Konami.
The Japanese site Nikkei, has confirmation that Kojima has left and is now creating his own game company, and is in talks to setup shop at Playstation. An assumption his company could be the next Naughty Dog, which has created Playstation exclusive games like The Last of Us and the Uncharted franchise.
UPDATE #1: Kojima has taken to Twitter to confirm the news, by revealing his new company logo for Kojima Productions. He also posted an image of Metal Gear concept artist Yoji Shinkawa rocking a t-shirt with the new logo, we assume that Yoji has joined the company’s creative team.
1/2 This is new studio’s logo. Looks like a medieval knight and also a space suit. pic.twitter.com/AC3j6kfImy
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) December 16, 2015
Yoji wearing the T-shirt too. pic.twitter.com/A1qJhqI8S3
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) December 16, 2015
UPDATE #2: Medium seemingly has what looks like a press release confirming the deal between Playstation and Kojima Productions, for their first game to be a Playstation 4 exclusive, but will be eventually released on PC. Now word on what the game is, but won’t be Metal Gear or Silent Hills, which are owned by Konami.
Sony Computer Entertainment enters into an agreement with Kojima Productions
Tokyo, December 16, 2015 — Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced that it has signed an agreement with Kojima Productions, a newly formed studio by the acclaimed game designer Hideo Kojima, to develop its first software title as a console exclusive to the PlayStation®4 (PS4™) computer entertainment system.
“PlayStation®’s history is one of game innovation and great new franchises,” said Andrew House, President and Global CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. “Hideo Kojima has been a huge part of that history, and we are therefore delighted that he has chosen to bring his brand new project to life in partnership with PlayStation. We look forward to working with him on an exciting new game and warmly welcome him to the PlayStation family.”
“I will be taking on a new challenge by establishing my own independent studio, and I am thrilled to be able to embark on this journey with PlayStation, who I have continued to work with all these past years,” said Hideo Kojima, Game Designer, Kojima Productions. “I cannot wait to deliver, with PlayStation, a game that will become a compelling franchise.”
SCE will continue to expand the world of PS4 to deliver entertainment experiences that are only possible on PlayStation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3IlHBBGCIw
It’s unknown if he’ll end up working with Guillermo in the future, but the two seem to have a lot of fun trying to put together a horror game. Guillermo’s own production company actually was behind the live-action commercial for Fallout 4, it’s likely they could be involved with this new company either in marketing or development itself. Branding of the new game franchises could also open-up films as well, Sony is already working on adaptations of Uncharted and The Last of Us.
SOURCE: NIKKEI