Hideo Kojima is no longer a Konami employee. That's according to award-winning journalist Simon Parkin, writing for the New Yorker. While the report hones in on the mechanisms behind the auteur's departure from Konami – mobile games, exploding console budgets, and so on – it states that the Metal Gear Solid maker left his workplace of almost 30 years for the last time on 9th October.
According to one of the guests who attended his leaving party, it was a "rather cheerful but emotional goodbye". Allegedly, the publisher's president Hideki Hayakawa and chief executive Sadaaki Kaneyoshi were not in attendance. Various colleagues of Kojima – both old and new – did show up to say goodbye to one of the greatest game directors of all time, however.
The article concludes that Kojima will now have to wait until December before seeking new employment, as there's a non-compete clause in his contract. It also alludes that he's not allowed to discuss his departure in public for the time being. None of this is a surprise, of course – but it is a sad way for things to end.
[source newyorker.com]
Comments 17
Sony is courting him as we speak
I thought it was public that he was err, "let go" by Konami even before MGS5's development was completed, months before the game was released?
He can work for CPPR on the Sci fi game
"Allegedly, the publisher's president Hideki Hayakawa and chief executive Sadaaki Kaneyoshi were not in attendance."
Well that's pretty disrespectful, even if they didn't see eye-to-eye.
@Azikira
That's all the motivation he needed to make the best dang game of his life for someone else! I'm glad they pissed them off a bit, I wanna see what Kojima San will produce when revenge is his biggest motivator.
Imagine Sony or MS hiring him, it would be amazing. Especially Sony is known to give their people lots of creative freedom, but MS seems to be coming around. In both cases he would get more money to spend than he ever had and he would be able to form his own team for sure. I think the whole Konami debacle has made him more aware of the financial side of things and with some luck we'll get to play his new game somewhere around the end of this gen, and I already know it'll be worth the wait!
@DarkKirby It was, but it was assumed he would leave in December. We now know he actually left ten days ago.
Come to Sony and Rebuild the Syphon Filter franchise. My body is ready.
Or Sony just let's him build something completely new.
@KAPADO I'd rather he made a horror game with Del Toro named... Quiet Mountains or something!
Kaz Hirai, you know what to do...
Reminds me of Big Boss leaving America after Op Snake Eater. He'll disappear, free to follow his own rules and philosophies. Can't wait to see our universe's version of Outer Heaven become reality. Is there a pool on the studio name? Cause I bet (hope) that's what it'll be
@Swiket i would be slamming the like button right now if I there was one!
@get2sammyb I feel like I've played a game like that a million times.
No doubt we will hear more about this in December when kojima can announce new employment
I am so wondering what hes about to do next - every major company should line up before him, he is a total genius and one of the most popular and skilled video game designers of all time, a living legend of the business
Maybe he goes independent, does his own thing in creating a brand new studio, or he joins one existing ... Im so excited to see where this goes, I personally think that any of those big studios/companies like Sony, MS, Nintendo, EA, SE should gather all their money and try to convince him in joining them exklusively - hes an investion that pays off, no doubt about it, all of his games are masterpieces. Every company would be totally insane to miss out on this opportunity imo
PSX is in December right?
In all seriousness the situation just feels really sad that such a long and fruitful relationship ended on such a sour note.
I'm sure he can 'volunteer' and I assume the clause is only valid in Japan.
If his core staff ( and he himself) combined with platinum games, look out Ubisoft, ea and Activision.
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