GameSpot: Inside source claims Kojima will leave Konami after The Phantom Pain is finished

Today, rumors have been pointing in increasingly worrisome directions for Hideo Kojima and his studio Kojima Productions. Konami has suddenly started removing his name from all websites and social media, and has even renamed the new LA studio.

And now there’s talk of a fallout. An inside source speaking to GameSpot states that power struggles between Kojima Productions and Konami have led to a shift in employee status for Kojima and other senior members of his team, who are now working as contractors. The studio’s management will likely be disbanded after development for The Phantom Pain wraps up. The source claims: “At a team meeting, Mr Kojima explained that team have to be one and make a good game for fans.”

Kojima is expected to leave Konami when his contract ends in December, along with upper management. According to GameSpot, Kojima will have ‘limited opportunities to lend his appearance to promotions’.

According to the GameSpot editor, the new Silent Hills that was in development by Kojima is now a deal between Del Toro and Konami, no longer Kojima.

Keep in mind that this isn’t an official confirmation yet. As of now though, it doesn’t look too good.

Source: GameSpot, Peter Brown Twitter