Konami Bans Hideo Kojima From Taking Awards For Metal Gear
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain won multiple awards at The Game Awards 2015, but Hideo Kojima, the creator of the franchise, was barred from attending the ceremony by publisher Konami. Kojima is still contractually obligated to obey the company.
The reveal was made on Thursday night by game journalist Geoff Keighley, who co-hosted The Game Awards. “Mr. Kojima would have liked to be there tonight, but he has been told by a Konami lawyer that he is not allowed to attend the ceremony or receive any prizes.” Keighley’s report was met with booing from the audience. Kojima’s latest game, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, won Best Action/Adventure and Best Soundtrack at The Game Awards. Kiefer Sutherland, who voiced the lead character Venom Snake, accepted the award on behalf of the Japanese. Kojima was also absent from the PlayStation Awards 2015, where the game also received multiple awards.
The moment of the award ceremony and announcement
Keighley’s statement further confirms the signals that Hideo Kojima and publisher Konami are no longer able to get through a door. In addition, this serves as proof that, despite the cooled relations between the two parties, Kojima is still contractually obliged to do or not do certain things, such as appearing publicly on behalf of his studio and for his game. The rights to that franchise are owned by Konami. It is not certain how long Kojima’s contract will be in effect. The contract will probably not be renewed.
In March of 2015, the Japanese newspaper Nikkei published a report on working conditions at the Japanese publisher. Since its focus has shifted to mobile games, the company has given its employees much less freedom. For example, there would be cameras in the corridors to keep an eye on the employees and the staff who leave the building during the lunch break must have their times registered with a punch card. If he or she returns late, his or her name will be called. Developers who do not make themselves useful enough in the eyes of the board are also assigned work as cleaners or guards, according to Nikkei.
Hideo Kojima would have disagreed with the publisher’s decision to shift its focus to mobile games. As a result, his Konami studio, Kojima Productions, has been rebranded as Number 8 Production Department and the text ‘A Hideo Kojima Game’ has been removed from the cover of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. According to the American magazine The New Yorker, Kojima has now left Konami for good, but the Japanese company denies this and says that he was alone on vacation. The magazine also writes that his non-competition clause with Konami lasts until December, after which he could work elsewhere as a game developer.
Konami is meanwhile changing course as part of the new strategy. For example, there will be a free-to-play version of Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 and development of the new game in the Silent Hill franchise has just been halted. Konami would not abandon its major franchises such as Metal Gear, Silent Hill and Castlevania, but it is not clear in what form those games will appear in the future.