Did ‘Death Stranding’ Creator Hideo Kojima Just Reveal Reason Behind Konami Exit?

Japanese video game designer Hideo Kojima worked for Konami for three decades, so it was a bit of a shock when he officially exited the company in 2015. In the wake of his exit, there were reports about a corporate restructuring that did not include him as one of the directors. This week, the renowned game designer and director has finally opened up about the severance of his ties with Konami.

In an interview with BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat, Kojima may have hinted at the reason behind his exit from Konami. “I have more freedom now because the final decision comes down to me,” he said. Explaining further what he meant by this freedom and the insinuation that his role was limited at his ex-publisher, Kojima confessed that he had to please investors when he was still at Konami.

Now that he is on his own and the fact that Kojima Productions is not listed on the stock exchange, Kojima said that he and his team “can just concentrate on making good games.” Also, Kojima pointed out that he is still thankful for the 30 years he spent with Konami. “I had a lot of experiences there and I’m very appreciative of everything I gained from that experience,” he noted.

Kojima and his team at his Tokyo-based studio are currently working on their first game, “Death Stranding.” Fans who followed Kojima’s “Metal Gear” days are of course excited for the designer’s upcoming open world action video game. Aside from the intriguing teaser trailers released so far, the PlayStation 4 title is getting a lot of attention thanks to its stars that currently include “The Walking Dead” actor Norman Reedus, “Hannibal” actor Mads Mikkelsen and Mexican film director Guillermo del Toro.

Kojima is quite optimistic and excited for his comeback in the gaming scene. “The me that stands here now is the product of the past 53 years of my life,” he told IGN. “Everything I experienced over 53 years; movies I’ve seen, books I’ve read, music I’ve listened to, games I’ve played, people I’ve met and the 30 years spent in this industry, have formed who I am. Not one of these things has been without purpose, including my experience creating games at Konami.”

Kojima also revealed that he does not plan on retiring from making games, for he is determined to continue working for as long as he can. “I’m embarking on a new challenge with a fresh slat, but I intend to keep pushing the creative envelope until the day I die. I believe my experiences over the past 53 years won’t lead me astray,” Kojima quipped.

Kojima reportedly bid farewell to Konami on Oct. 9, 2015, months after being left out of the directors list when the company did some restructuring in March of that year. Prior his official exit from the publisher, Kojima was working with del Toro on the “Silent Hills” project, which was unfortunately scrapped. His final contribution to the company and to the “Metal Gear” series was “Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain,” as per Polygon.