You know you’ve got a bad reputation when people get excited about the possibility of you leaving the gaming industry, but that’s exactly what just happened to the ever-divisive Konami. In a recent announcement to investors, Konami explained that they were “dissolving the (video game) Production Divisions to respond to the rapid market that surrounds us.” Specifically, they said they were dissolving Production Divisions 1, 2, and 3, which are the only internal development teams left at the company.
So, does that mean Konami is getting out of active video game development? Could this open the door to them selling cherished IPs like Metal Gear Solid, Castlevania, and Silent Hill to other companies? That's what some fans quickly began rooting for, but it seems everyone was getting ahead of themselves. According to a follow-up statement, Konami is not shutting down its video game business, but merely restructuring and consolidating its current divisions…
The announcement made refers to an internal restructure, with Production Divisions being consolidated. We have not ‘shut down’ our video gaming division.
In recent years, particularly after the departure of Hideo Kojima, Konami has largely stepped away from active development, focusing instead on arcade amusements and gambling machines, but they haven’t totally abandoned it. In in addition to their yearly Pro Evolution Soccer releases, they’ve also put out games like Metal Gear Survive, Super Bomberman R, and Contra: Rogue Corps., most of which have received mixed-to-poor reviews. There’s also persistent chatter that Konami may be lending their iconic IPs out to other publishers, with a Sony-developed Silent Hill reboot being rumored for some time. So, while Konami is far from in its prime, it still has some irons in the fire.
What are your thoughts on the whole Konami situation? Do you think they might be able to produce something decent again now that they’re consolidated their teams? Or do they just need to sell off their franchises and focus on pachinko?
