Metal Gear Solid series director Hideo Kojima has officially parted ways with Konami after spending nearly 30 years with the company. The veteran director is now working with Sony on an upcoming project for the PlayStation 4.
Immediately after the termination of his employment contract with Konami, Kojima announced the formation of his own independent studio, Kojima Productions. The company is now seeking applications from artists, programmers, and designers to fill multiple roles within the company.
“I will be taking on a new challenge by establishing my own independent studio, and I am thrilled to be able to embark on this journey with PlayStation, who I have continued to work with all these past years,” Kojima stated. “I cannot wait to deliver, with PlayStation, a game that will become a compelling franchise.”
Sony confirmed that its first collaborative project with Kojima Productions “will be console exclusive to PlayStation 4,” suggesting that a PC port is likely. Further details regarding Kojima Productions’ debut effort are not yet known.
The Kojima-directed Metal Gear Solid series has close ties with multiple generations of PlayStation hardware. 1998’s Metal Gear Solid was developed specifically for the Sony PlayStation, and its follow-ups Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater launched exclusively for the PlayStation 2.
Before his departure from Konami, Kojima was set to direct Silent Hills, a PlayStation 4-exclusive entry in the company’s long-running survival horror series. Though fans reacted positively to a playable teaser for Silent Hills released last year, the project was ultimately canned.
Kojima’s most recent game, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, premiered earlier this year for consoles and PCs. The director’s relationship with publisher Konami deteriorated in the months leading up to Metal Gear Solid V‘s release, leading to Kojima’s name being removed from the game’s cover art and promotional material.
Japan’s Nikkei confirmed Kojima’s departure from Konami earlier today, ending months of speculation regarding the director’s future with the company.
