Konami and Kojima splitting up after Metal Gear Solid V

There’s been a whole lot of drama surrounding the sudden rift between Konami, Hideo Kojima and Kojima Productions, and today, we finally get an official statement from both parties.  It doesn’t necessarily clear up all of the drama going on, but it’s pretty obvious what the outcome was. Hideo Kojima will have nothing to do with Metal Gear Solid or Konami after the release of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.

Konami stresses that this rearrangement won’t affect the release or development of MGSV, and that the franchise will go on, but ya know, we’ll see how that works out.

Here’s the official statement which can also found on the official Konami site:

To Customers,

Thank you for your continued patronage of KONAMI products and services.

The latest title in the METAL GEAR series,?METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN? (below, ?MGSV: TPP?), will be released as planned starting on Tuesday, September 1st, 2015 in North America, Latin America, and Europe, followed by Japan and Asia on Wednesday, September 2nd. Hideo Kojima will remain involved throughout.

Hideo Kojima stated, “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. Don?t miss it!”

In addition, KONAMI will continue to develop and distribute top-quality content in the METAL GEAR series following ?MGSV: TPP.? We greatly anticipate and deeply appreciate your ongoing support for METAL GEAR.

As the next step in the series, KONAMI has already resolved to develop new ?METAL GEAR?.

We will be conducting interviews for main staff to lead the development.