If Akio Otsuka, a voice actor who performs the role of Solid Snake and Big Boss is to be believed, Kojima Productions has met its end; the studios might have been disbanded!
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“Kojima Productions was forced to disband, but it appears that the work that the team has been putting their utmost effort into is almost complete”, Otsuka said in a tweet (Japanese). “I’m not exaggerating when I say that I expect it will become their greatest masterpiece”. I wanted to say “Kept you waiting” (laughs), but that was the last moment.
If true, then it looks like a mass exodus of talent awaits for Konami once Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain releases in September.
Konami has yet to address if the studio is actually closed, and Kojima seems to be blocked from addressing the issue publicly.
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Previously, there were reports (from insiders at Kojima Productions) that senior staff of the studio including Hideo Kojima are now working on Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain on contract basis and not as a permanent employees. Konami has stripped Kojima’s name from all assets, cancelled Silent Hills, and removed Kojima from public appearances including E3 and his podcast. It’s possible that this all simply has to do with Konami wanting to focus on mobile games moving forward, and that the company is truly phasing out their console business, despite their claim that they will still develop console games.
