Konami has responded to a report from the New Yorker, where a source stated that Hideo Kojima had departed from the company on October 9th, by telling Tokyo Sports (via Kotaku) that he’s gone on vacation.
A spokesperson from Konami HQ also refuted reports of Kojima’s departure by stating that, “Currently, Kojima is a listed as a company employee [at Konami].
“Currently, Kojima and the development team are finished developing Metal Gear Solid V and are taking a long time off from work.”
As for the so-called “farewell ceremony”, Konami’s response was, “We’re not sure what kind of thing this was.
“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 of when development is finished.”
It’s interesting because this isn’t the first time Konami outright refuted Kojima ever leaving. When rumours first began of his departure, Konami said that the company, along with Kojima, would continue to support future Metal Gear games. Which side is the truth? As always, stay tuned in the coming weeks to find out.
