Konami's imminent exit from the video game business?

[Jump Space]

[Stares at smart phone.]

Die monster. You don't belong in this world!

[negative chill]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/05/...-one-exclusive
There's some speculation that Microsoft might be purchasing Silent Hills and making it an Xbox One exclusive. If this turns out to be true, it could be a fucking huge coupe for the Xbone

[Thierry Henry]

Hideo Kojima's Name Removed From Metal Gear Solid 5 Box Art




http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/07/...olid-5-box-art

The saga that is the deteriorating relationship between Konami and Hideo Kojima continues as the publisher has decided to remove all references to the Metal Gear Solid creator from the box art for The Phantom Pain.

The latest pack shots were uploaded yesterday, and NeoGAF users spotted a couple of changes appear to have been made. You can see the old box art below on the left, with the new one on the right. In the bottom left of each cover the Kojima Productions logo has been removed, while "A Hideo Kojima Game" is also absent from just below the console masthead.

As for myself I reckon I'll rather print out this alternative Metal Gear Solid V cover instead.

[Obviously]

This is a sad mess. I'm glad I'm not a Metal Gear fan or else I'd probably be conflicted about buying the game.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/05/...-one-exclusive
There's some speculation that Microsoft might be purchasing Silent Hills and making it an Xbox One exclusive. If this turns out to be true, it could be a fucking huge coupe for the Xbone

It'd be great if the rumors turn out to be true. Silent Hills needs to happen.

[Gogogadget]

I'm a big MG fan and will buy, Kojimas name is off it but his fingerprints will be all over it still.

[The Jackal]

They removed all references to him a while back on the site in regards to the game. Why are people surprised at them removing it from the game's packaging? I was expecting it tbh.

[Obviously]

They removed all references to him a while back on the site in regards to the game. Why are people surprised at them removing it from the game's packaging? I was expecting it tbh.

I'm not surprised, but I can still find it a tad ridiculous.

[The Jackal]

It is. The whole affair is silly, you'd think they'd respect the guy a bit more as he's practically been keeping their company in the green for the last few years, but I guess Konami doesn't see it that way.

I'm gutted Silent Hills is no longer a thing, but I'd rather Hideo go elsewhere. Maybe he could do what the original director of Resident Evil 4 did and start his own horror game with a Western developer. As for Komani, they can rot for all I care.

[Zoltor]

"What is a man, a miserable pile of secrets"

Konami go to hell, don't let the door hit your ass on the way out Also by all means, take Crapcom, Square, Blizzard, and EA with you as well, the industry would be much better without any of you.

[Gogogadget]

Square Enix published no end of good games in the last two years?

[Kogen]

Konami better Fart Off acting like this... I know this game is about loving your dog and that is what Metal Gear was originally SUPPOSED to be about, according to Kojima. Put his name back on...

[Thierry Henry]

Report: Konami Is Treating Its Staff Like Prisoners


Here’s a breakdown of the Nikkei piece’s allegations. Some of it we’ve heard before. Some of it is new:

Kojima Productions, the studio behind the upcoming Metal Gear Solid V (and long famous as a brand of its own), is now simply known as “Number 8 Production Department.” The computers in this section, Nikkei says (and as we reported earlier this year), are allegedly not connected to the internet and are only able to send internal messages.

Nikkei reports that employees leaving the company offices during their lunch break are having their absences monitored with time cards. Those who stay out too long are having their names announced throughout the company.

That there are cameras in the office corridors that aren’t there for security, but rather to monitor the movements of Konami’s own employees.

That most Konami employees do not have their own permanent company email addresses. Staff who must deal with people outside the company, such as sales and PR do; however, everyone else routinely has their address randomised and changed every few months. (Note: Konami employee emails are typically a few letters followed by a string of numbers, but this random email changing has been going on at Konami for years. A while back, one Konami employee told me this was done to prevent headhunting. Over the years, I have seen developers with company email addresses, but this might have changed recently.)

That Konami game developers who aren’t seen as useful are reassigned to jobs as security guards, cleaning staff at the company’s fitness clubs or roles at a pachi-slot machine factory. This includes not just junior staff, but producers who have worked on well-known game titles. In 2013, Asahi News, one of Japan’s largest newspapers, ran an interview with a former Konami staffer who allegedly went from game development to working in Konami’s pachi-slot factory, causing him to experience severe depression.

That one former employee, upon announcing on Facebook that they were leaving Konami and had got a new job elsewhere, had their post monitored. Nikkei says remaining Konami staff who “liked” the post were all reshuffled within the company.

http://kotaku.com/report-konami-is-t...ers-1721700073

[Obviously]

I've already accepted that Konami is pretty much gone.

[gamevet]

I don't know if this is Konami trying to save face, but this video with Kojima's final sendoff to Metal Gear Solid fans is pretty special.

[maxi]

The PC boxed version of the game contains only the Steam installer inside the disc: http://www.destructoid.com/the-only-...r-308547.phtml
And to think I was complaining about Mortal Kombat X with only 4,5GB from the 40GB of game's total size...