Konami is downsizing Kojima Productions LA and laid off 35 staff members despite it still being listed as part of the publisher. Though Konami hasn’t made an official announcement, the rumour does come from George Broussard, the 3D Realms founder who’s been fairly reliable when it comes to industry lay-offs, on Twitter.
Of course, it’s not just Broussard. SCEA senior producer Sam Thompson tweeted that, “Really sad news about the loss of Konami’s Los Angeles studio. Happy thoughts to all those affected. End of an era for sure, stay strong.”
Of course, official word is still expected but trouble has been brewing for Kojima Productions ever since rumours of Hideo Kojima’s split with Konami emerged. This was followed by the closure of Kojima Productions in Japan along with the cancellation of Silent Hills and a shift by Konami to mobile ventures and pachinko licenses. We’ll wait to hear Konami’s official statement on this so stay tuned for more information.