gaming Konami We Hardly Knew Ye

[Megas 28,157]

 

http://www.technobuffalo.com/2015/09/18/konami-is-ceasing-all-aaa-console-development-except-for-soccer/

 

Apparently many news articles have stated that after MGSV, Konami is done with AAA game development with the exception of the PES series, though the writing's been on the wall for a while now. This really depresses me a ton, besides being a huge fan of the MGS series as well as love for other franchises like Castlevania and Contra, seeing a big company like Konami(who was one of the heavy hitters in the 90's/early 2000's) fall harder than Capcom did around the 2010's(btw, they've really turned things around recently) is upsetting considering both their past pedigree of franchises as well as the fact that they're taking the HudsonSoft franchises they never used with them. Makes me sad to see this happen to such a great group of gaming franchises, maybe some day they can go to a better home.

 

 

How do any of you feel about this?

[Mesme Rize 15,692]

It's indeed depressing. When i was a little kid,  playing on my brothers super nintendo, some of my favorite games where Super Probotector (Contra 3) Turtles in Time and Super Castlevania IV. The first MGS and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night where some of my favorite PS1 games.

 

Seriously, what happend? There was a time, when you saw the Konami logo on a cartridge or a CD/DVD, you would expect excellence. But it's gone. And while i like the PES series as a Soccer fan, it's not enough for me to put Konami up there, with the great gaming companies.

 

Good night sweet prince.

[Tiny 55]

Riperino in the Pepperino, Contra will never be forgotten.

[Nit Pick 247]

Honestly, just #fuckonami. I'm not the biggest Silent Hill fan but I know how much the series meant to it's fans.  I was actually going to get Silent Hills when it comes out, until Konami had to get their knickers in a twist and cancelled the game.  I did buy a disc only copy of Silent Hill 2 but I never played it.  So when Silent Hills got canceled, I know how the fans felt being denied a good looking sequel. How would someone think I felt being denied a sequel to Psychonauts? Not very good.

 

If I ever like saved a yakuza mob boss or a related family member and they offered to do something for me in return; I'd say make Konami sell their IPs to people who want to make games.

[Untitled Goose Q 5,138]

Up-Up-Down-Down-Left-Right-Left-Right B, A, Start! What do you mean, it wont work here?

 

On a more serious note, I've never actually played a Konami game, but I am well aware of the reputation that they have.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 42,203]

This is Konami officially jumping into their own grave that they made for themselves. What I really don't understand, is that they recently took a huge survey asking fans about the many series that Konami owns and what they would love to see. Apparently that was just a ruse on their part so they could look 'good' in the eyes of gamers. Well, that isn't the case. Konami at this point is such a horrible company and it is a shame that it has come to this, but perhaps it is for the best. Clearly Konami does not care about gaming anymore.

[Pixel Media 25]

Completely false, they are still working on MGS and other games.

 

http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/gaming/606698/Metal-Gear-Solid-5-update-DLC-content-Konami-MGS-future-quit-rumours

[Hocus Pocus 636]

Now that Kojima is gone, Konami will likely start dying as more gamers stop buying their products... Unless they live off of brand recognition and casual audiences, which I hope not, because their business practices are some of the sleaziest. They're down there with EA!

[Pixel Media 25]

I am hopeful the next Metal Gear Solid will be OK.

[Guest]

At this point I can hardly even feel sad, Konami has been doing a great job executing its own character and making us all shake our heads at them to the point where this announcement can hardly sadden me. I say good riddance. If they don't want to take the risks to innovate, and instead just want instant profit instead of having to work for it, I don't want them to come back. I would rather have no more MGS or Castlevania instead of just rehashing what is "guaranteed to sell".

[Espada12 17]

Completely false, they are still working on MGS and other games.

 

http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/gaming/606698/Metal-Gear-Solid-5-update-DLC-content-Konami-MGS-future-quit-rumours

I almost did a double take until I read the facts from your post. I didnt want Sony to lose Konami.

[Grtxkkyz 389]

It's all a rumor, Konami debunked it, They're still working on top-notch games.

[ElizaGWR 24]

As a child in the early late eighties early nineties, making myself feel old, I played many Konami games.  In fact some of my fondest memories are from Konami games, such as me and my brother taking turns trying to beat the original TMNT game on the NES, me and my friends playing Turtles in Time at the arcade, playing Frogger, Contra, or Gradius for fun and failing at them miserably, exploring the massive locations in Castlevania (I prefer Alucard and Soma over any of the Belmonts), failing at stealth in Metal Gear Solid (I got better around MGS2), having a good laugh playing Goemon, and more recently (about a decade ago) having my best friend introduce me to one of my favorite RPGs Suikoden 3.

 

Even though Konami isn't leaving the game market... the heart there used to be in the games seems to be fading.  The last few Castlevania games were really shallow, I don't think there have been any Frogger, Contra, Gradius, Suikoden, or Goemon games in a long while, and ever since they bought Hudson Soft Bomberman has been left to gather dust.  Not to mention the cancelling of Silent Hills.  Yet before one company made terrible decisions as well, and nearly seemed to be leaving the market, but in the past two or so years Capcom has begun to rise up again, and I can only hope that Konami does the same.

[Sunset's Shimmer 394]

Ha! I remember the MGS days back when it was just MGS, MGS2:SoL, MGS3:SE...

 

:comeatus: The good old days, where Hideo Kojima put his name in half of the credits. That still makes me laugh when I play it!

[Yellow Diamond 7,578]

A lot of hate is being dumped on Konami as of late, especially because of the circumstances of Kojima's departure. Pertaining directly to console development, Konami reps are saying they're still in the game, so to speak. The likeliest case is that they're going to shy away from major commitments to AAA games for a while.

 

The truth of the matter is MGSV was expensive. Extremely expensive. Like $80 million USD expensive. This article takes a look into the major difficulties that are afflicting Konami as a result of an over budget and behind schedule game. Simply put, Konami has to sell 6 million copes of The Phantom Pain just to break even. From last account, the game has about 3 million purchases. They have to somehow double their sales to avoid a loss.

 

Simply put, then, Konami reached a point where they were no longer willing to sink money into Kojima's attempt at a magnum opus. The result is a game with beautiful, if often vacant, environs and awesome stealth-action but laden with an unfinished, muddled story. No one came out smelling like roses. Like Miller might declare in melodramatic fashion, we all lost something.

 

Therefore, I don't hold much against Konami for pulling in its horns. They're a business, and they got stung on a bad financial investment. We can get romantic and bemoan how Konami doesn't care about games or the people buying them; however, as the article I linked points out, their chief goal is to turn a profit. Salaries aren't paid and employees aren't retained through a swell of sentiment. Konami isn't as tone deaf as its fiercest critics might suggest. They're just being practical.

[Radiance64 7,059]

It's a crying shame, Phantom Pain is an absolutely amazing game.

But then again, since Konami's lost Igarashi and now Kojima... what talent is there left there anymore really?

[Solid 1,327]

Ha! I remember the MGS days back when it was just MGS, MGS2:SoL, MGS3:SE...

 

:comeatus: The good old days, where Hideo Kojima put his name in half of the credits. That still makes me laugh when I play it!

I recommend you give MGSV: The Phantom Pain a go too, you will get plenty of those despite the contradiction of his name getting removed from the cover.

 

As for the topic, didn't Konami denied this as a false rumor? If memory serves well they made an open statement denying this.

[Buck Testa 5,505]

#FuckKonami

 

Between the abhorrent ways they treat their employees, the incompetence of the CEO, the cheep short sighted business practices revolving around of all things Pachinko machines, the way they screwed over Kojima I'm surprised they are still a viable company. In fact their business practices are so bad they ended up falling out of the Stock exchange and their popularity has plummeted into infamy.

 

Seriously, there CEO is just free falling that companies reputation into oblivion, making respected game developers and integral employees into Janitors and other low level positions, burning bridges with the people who made Konami what they were, and sacrificing any and all quality for that bottom line. 

 

I'll be damned if they get another penny out of me, not with Neanderthals like that running the show. 

[The Nth Doctor 664]

Shhh, no tears, only dreams now

 

Look back on the good old days of Konami games and let that be their legacy

[ScarfaceOne 263]

It means there will be no more Metal Gears, no Enthusia: Professional Racing sequel. No Legend of Hodor LOL I'm Joking. No Castlevania Lords of Shadow 3, Silent Hill, Contra and everything else. It's a shame really, people love Metal Gear, but Konami is simply starting to turn into a different company.

[Kenshiro 13,499]

Silent Hill series will be ruin at konami's hands like P.T.

[Jeremiah 1,586]

Shhh, no tears, only dreams now

 

Look back on the good old days of Konami games and let that be their legacy

I was thinking the same thing. Only look back at the good old days of Konami.

[Floofie 799]

I recommend you give MGSV: The Phantom Pain a go too, you will get plenty of those despite the contradiction of his name getting removed from the cover.

 

As for the topic, didn't Konami denied this as a false rumor? If memory serves well they made an open statement denying this.

 

Do you have a link to this open statement?

[Deae Rising Shine~ 57,610]

Well, if they would stop with MGS now, I would be fine

 

I'm a HUGE MGS-Fan, I played Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2, MGS 1, 2, 3, 4, V, Portable Ops, Peace Walker, Metal Gear Rising

I have Platinum on PlayStation in MGS2, MGS3(x2), MGS4 and MGS PW and the 100% in GZ(PS3 and 4)

I have most collectables done(Even 99,99% of PW, only one randomly weapon missing)

I enjoyed every game, even with the flaws each game has

But most important is, in all, or most of the above mentioned MGS games, our mastermind Kojima worked on it.

He is now away from Konami.

 

Mayby the next ones are still good stealth games, but I really doubt, they reach the levels of those Kojima produced.

 

And Konami, IF you really make more Metal Gear, try a new story and dont ruin the story that exists now

Edited September 26, 2015 by Rising Shine

[Limeblossom 482]

We won't see any of those AAA titels anymore. Now it's waiting for spiritual successors.