Why Konami Pushed Hideo Kojima Out of The Company

Summary

Hideo Kojima, legendary creator of the Metal Gear Solid franchise, faced a turbulent split from Konami after nearly three decades, despite the massive success of Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. As Konami shifted focus to the more profitable mobile gaming market, Kojima’s artistic vision clashed with corporate priorities. Amid canceled projects like Silent Hills and the erasure of his contributions, Kojima left Konami in 2015. Undeterred, he established his own independent Kojima Productions and partnered with Sony, continuing his legacy of innovative, boundary-pushing games while overcoming the emotional and professional challenges of his departure.

Takeaways

• 😀 Hideo Kojima, a legendary game designer, left Konami in 2015 after nearly 30 years, despite his success with the Metal Gear Solid franchise.
• 😀 Kojima's departure came after a prolonged conflict between his artistic vision and Konami's shift towards the mobile gaming market, driven by the rise of free-to-play models.
• 😀 Konami's investment in mobile games like Dragon Collection and Sengoku Collection boosted profits significantly, making it harder to justify high-budget console games like Metal Gear Solid.
• 😀 Kojima was promoted to Executive Vice President in 2011, gaining more responsibility but also pressure to deliver high-quality games with new technologies, like the Fox Engine.
• 😀 The Fox Engine was Kojima's brainchild, aiming for photo-realism and efficiency, with potential applications in various game genres and even Konami's other properties like Silent Hill.
• 😀 Kojima’s involvement in Silent Hill was confirmed through the P.T. demo, a teaser that revealed Guillermo del Toro and Norman Reedus were part of the project, before the game was cancelled.
• 😀 Konami's new corporate restructuring in 2015 and a change in leadership pushed the company towards prioritizing profitability, with less emphasis on artistic projects, which created further friction with Kojima.
• 😀 Kojima's relationship with Konami became strained as the company started removing references to him from Metal Gear promotional materials and restricted access to his team during development of The Phantom Pain.
• 😀 Despite these challenges, Kojima's critical success with Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, which won awards, was overshadowed by Konami's refusal to let him attend The Game Awards in December 2015.
• 😀 After leaving Konami, Kojima formed his own independent studio, Kojima Productions, with a new partnership with Sony, marking a new chapter in his career.
• 😀 Kojima reflected on his emotional journey after leaving Konami, realizing that while he had lost everything in terms of resources, he still had valuable connections and support from industry figures like Geoff Keighley and Norman Reedus.

Q & A

What prompted Hideo Kojima's departure from Konami in 2015?

Hideo Kojima's departure from Konami was due to a growing conflict between his artistic vision and the company's shift towards mobile gaming. Konami began prioritizing mobile games, which were less expensive to produce and more profitable, while Kojima wanted to continue developing high-budget, high-quality console games.

How did Konami's shift to mobile gaming affect their relationship with Kojima?

Konami's shift to mobile gaming created a rift between the company and Kojima, who was focused on creating console games like *Metal Gear Solid*. As Konami prioritized profitability and low-risk investments in mobile games, their vision began to diverge from Kojima's creative direction, leading to tension.

What role did the Fox Engine play in Kojima's projects?

The Fox Engine, developed by Kojima Productions, played a crucial role in Kojima's projects, such as *Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes* and *The Phantom Pain*. It was designed for photo-realism and efficiency, allowing Kojima to create high-quality games in shorter development cycles. It also had the potential to support different types of games, including FPS and adventure titles.

Why was *P.T.* important in Kojima's career, and what happened to it?

*P.T.* was a playable teaser for the canceled *Silent Hills* game, created by Kojima Productions in collaboration with filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. It gained massive attention for its innovative horror elements and a surprising ending that revealed the involvement of Kojima, del Toro, and Norman Reedus. However, after Kojima's departure from Konami, *P.T.* was removed from the PlayStation Store and *Silent Hills* was canceled.

What was Konami's corporate restructuring in 2015, and how did it affect Kojima?

Konami's 2015 corporate restructuring aimed to shift the company’s focus toward a more centralized, mobile-first model. As part of this shift, Konami reduced its emphasis on console games and removed all mentions of Kojima and Kojima Productions from promotional materials. This restructuring further alienated Kojima, who was increasingly seen as a misalignment with Konami's new direction.

How did Kojima's relationship with Konami affect the release of *The Phantom Pain*?

Despite tensions between Kojima and Konami, *The Phantom Pain* was released successfully in 2015. However, Kojima's absence from promotional events, including The Game Awards, and the removal of his name from the final box art marked the growing estrangement between him and the company.

Why did Konami prevent Kojima from attending The Game Awards in 2015?

Konami reportedly informed Kojima through a lawyer that he would not be allowed to attend The Game Awards in 2015 to accept the awards for *The Phantom Pain*. This was seen as a significant and symbolic move to distance Konami from Kojima, especially as the game was nominated for multiple awards.

What happened to Kojima Productions after Kojima left Konami?

After Kojima left Konami, he established a new independent studio, also named Kojima Productions, with the support of Sony. This allowed him to regain creative freedom and continue developing games on his terms, with his first project being *Death Stranding*, released in 2019.

What was Kojima's emotional state after leaving Konami?

Kojima felt like he had lost everything after leaving Konami, as he was forced to start from scratch without an office, staff, or resources. However, he soon realized that he still had valuable connections within the industry, which helped him rebuild his career and pursue new projects.

What recognition did Kojima receive after his departure from Konami?

After his departure, Kojima received the Industry Icon award at The Game Awards in 2016, where he was recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to the gaming industry. The award was presented by Geoff Keighley, a personal friend of Kojima, who highlighted Kojima’s perseverance and influence in the gaming world.