'Silent Hills' Release Date Canceled? Konami Removes Kojima Productions Logo From Site

Japan-based developer Konami has removed the Kojima Productions logo from its “Silent Hills” site. While we’re hopeful this is only an April Fool’s Day prank, it’s likely legit – and Konami has severed ties with famed designer Hideo Kojima after rumors surfaced of internal conflicts last month.

Now, it appears that the Kojima Productions logo is completely gone, and only the Fox Engine logo remains.

“Konami has switched from a studio-based to a headquarters-based organization, so [Kojima Productions] wouldn’t be listed as a studio anymore,” Konami told GameSpot on Tuesday. “At this time, there are no additional updates to share.”

In late March, it was rumored that “Silent Hills,” the survival horror game for Sony’s PlayStation 4, would never reach the eighth-generation console if game designer Kojima parted ways with Konami. An inside source told GameSpot that Kojima Productions, the Japanese video game development studio founded by Kojima, now 51, in 2005, will cut ties with its publisher, Tokyo-based Konami, after “Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” is finished.

Growing tension between the two studios led Konami to make some major changes regarding its relationship with Kojima Productions, including restricted communication and limited access to emails, phone calls and corporate Internet. A number of Kojima’s employees are now working as contractors at Konami, including Kojima himself.

“Silent Hills” was announced in 2012 and will be co-directed by Kojima and film director Guillermo del Toro. The game will also star “Walking Dead” actor Norman Reedus. “Silent Hills” will be the first Japanese-developed “Silent Hill” entry since 2004’s “Silent Hill 4: The Room.”

In August of last year, an interactive teaser for “Silent Hills” reached the PlayStation 4 via the PlayStation network. The trailer was downloaded more than a million times and received positive reviews.