An article published in The New Yorker claimed that Hideo Kojima was let go by Konami following the release of Metal Gear Online and his last day was October 9. Their sources claimed that there was a going away party for him that was attended by many, while Konami President Hideki Hayakawa and CEO Sadaaki Kaneyoshi were absent.
After the article was published, Konami has denied that Kojima has left the company. A spokesperson at Konami’s Tokyo headquarters states that he is listed as an employee and is only taking “a long time off from work.”
Many gamers and figures in the media have doubts that Kojima is still with Konami due to the public feud that took place during the year.
News of the breakdown in the relationship became public when when Kojima Studios was removed from promotional all material for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Next came the controversial decision to cancel Silent Hills, the planed reboot of the iconic series that was being developed by Kojima alongside Guillermo del Toro and Junji Ito.
Kojima has made no official comment regarding his status with Konami.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is the tenth game in the series and was universally praised as one of the best games for the Next-Gen consoles. Hideo Kojima is the creator of the Metal Gear series and hailed as one of the most influential figures in the gaming industry.
