Konami to continue making Metal Gear without Kojima

Hideo Kojima’s departure from Konami now looks to be confirmed as the company has put out a statement regarding the future of the Metal Gear series.

Yesterday, there were multiple signs that Kojima would be leaving Konami in the near future. He had been removed as a director, the site for Kojima Productions redirected to a more general Metal Gear Solid one and, most damning of all, references to Kojima were removed from the Metal Gear box art on Konami’s sites.

Today’s statement from Konami says that Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will be released in September as planned, and that Hideo Kojima “will remain involved throughout.”

However, the publisher goes on to say that following The Phantom Pain’s release, they have “already resolved to develop a new Metal Gear title” and that “We will be conducting auditions for main staff to lead the development.” This is further confirmed by job postings, noticed by NeoGaf.

A slightly different version of the Konami statement has also been put up here. This one contains an additional comment from Kojima himself, which states: “I want to reassure fans that I am 100% involved and will continue working on METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN; I’m determined to make it the greatest game I’ve directed to date.”