It was reported earlier that Hideo Kojima, the man behind the famed Metal Gear Solid franchise has left Konami. However in follow up report, Konami claimed that Kojima is on a vacation after years of working on Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. However it is possible that is not true. Simon Parkin, who wrote the original article at The New Yorker took on Twitter and revealed a photo that clearly shows Hideo Kojima surrounded by several Konami staff including Yoji Shinkawa.
If you ask me, that certainly looks like a farewell photo but given that we have no way to assess it validity, consider this report as a rumor unless Konami and Kojima give further clarification regarding the matter. Parkin also revealed that he got this photo from another source who was present at the party. According to him, Yoji Shinkawa has also left Konami.
One concerned user asked whether the people pictured in the photo will face any sort of trouble. Parkin revealed that several of them are from Konami corporate so it won’t matter. As usual, take this report with a grain of salt but Simon Parkin is a well known games journalist so this is most likely true.
We will keep you updated as this builds.
Here is a photograph of Kojima's farewell party on October 9th at Konami, which Konami claims no knowledge of: pic.twitter.com/xgRUoYs5qt
— Simon Parkin (@SimonParkin) October 20, 2015@jeremy_peel @Cromwelp Image came from second source who was also at party. There were farewell speeches. Koj contracted till December.
— Simon Parkin (@SimonParkin) October 20, 2015@FvLJACKANO definitely not. Around dozen of them are from Konami corporate anyway. I needed to show that their denial was a lie.
— Simon Parkin (@SimonParkin) October 20, 2015@SayemAhmd As I understand it, he has gone too. (note he's not wearing the Konami lanyard in this pic).
— Simon Parkin (@SimonParkin) October 20, 2015