Kojima Productions PS4 Exclusive: 'Metal Gear Solid' Creator Leaves Konami For Sony After Bitter Dispute

Hideo Kojima has officially left Konami. After a year of reports indicating the "Metal Gear Solid" creator was being pushed out of the company just as one of the biggest games of the year, "Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain," was being released. Kojima announced a new partnership with Sony as an independent studio early Thursday morning. Kojima Productions' first game will be a PS4 exclusive.

The creation of Kojima Productions ends a year of speculation regarding Kojima's employment status at Konami. Several reports detailed Konami's treatment of its employees -- from public shaming for being late after a lunch break to cameras tracking workers' movements -- along with Kojima's own uncertain position within the company.

Kojima's name was dropped from Konami's list of executives and his name was scrubbed from the "Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain" release. Earlier this month, at the Game Awards 2015, Konami barred Kojima from attending the show to accept awards "Metal Gear Solid V" may have won. On Twitter, Kojima announced his contract with Konami ended Tuesday. The news was quickly followed by an announcement by Sony of the creation of Kojima Productions.

"I'm happy to let you know that I have established my own independent studio today. And I'm excited to tell you that the first title from this new studio is a collaboration with PlayStation," Kojima said in the announcement video. The game will be the beginning of a new franchise, according to the game designer.

Kojima Productions has a new website and logo. The studio's website is pretty sparse on details, but there is a detailed mission statement outlining Kojima Productions' goals. "'Playing' is not simply a pastime. It is the primordial basis of imagination and creation. Truth be told, Homo Ludens (Those who Play) are simultaneously Homo Faber (Those who Create)," Kojima wrote. The website also has a careers section with a list of jobs from lead programmer to sound designer to environment artist.