Konami denies claims, says Kojima is merely on a lenghty vacation

 In the wake of news that Kojima may have left Konami for good, the company has reportedly denied any such departure, claiming Kojima is simply taking a very long rest. Konami responded to reports Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima has left the company, indicating that he is still employee and is merely on a lengthy vacation, following the prolonged development of Metal Gear Solid V.



 “Currently, Kojima is a listed as a company employee,” a Konami spokesperson told Tokyo Sports (translation via Kotaku). “Kojima and the development team are finished developing Metal Gear Solid V and are taking a long time off from work Because the development time for console games is so long and fatigues builds up, it’s common for employees to take extended periods of time off when development is finished.” The original report of Kojima’s farewell also described as a goodbye party attended by dozens, joining colleagues from both Konami and other studios in an “emotional goodbye.” Konami says, “We’re not sure what kind of thing this was.” This statement is either denying knowledge of such an event or admitting a strange inability to categorize basic celebratory gatherings. 

Despite a rocky series of changes for the company, including the cancellation of Silent Hills and the removal of Kojima’s name from product branding, Konami assured Tokyo Sports that Kojima is just a human, and tires much like the rest of us mortals. It is believed Kojima has a non-compete clause that expires in December, which supports previous reports. Although the specifics of the arrangement aren't clear, this means Kojima will not be able to enter into new partnerships until this after this period.
What do you think of Konami’s Kojima forecast? Let us know in the comments below