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Konami Group Corporation is a Japanese multinational entertainment and gaming conglomerate headquartered in Tokyo. Founded in 1969, it has grown into one of the world's leading players in video game development, trading card games, arcade gaming, and casino equipment, with a vast library of iconic franchises.
Key moments
March 1969Founded as a jukebox repair and retail business by Kagemasa Kozuki in Osaka
1973Formally established as Konami Industries Co., Ltd.
1978Released first original arcade video game, Block Invader
1986Launched internationally, released Castlevania in North America
2005Expanded trading card game business with global Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG distribution
2015Spun off video game operations into Konami Digital Entertainment, shifted focus to mobile and digital media
2024-2025Revived classic franchises including Silent Hill and Metal Gear with high-profile remakes and new releases
Konami competes across multiple entertainment sectors:
Video game publishing: Rivals include Nintendo, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Ubisoft, Take-Two Interactive, and Bandai Namco Entertainment. Its key strengths lie in its decades-long IP library and cross-platform remaster/remake strategy.
Trading card games: Faces direct competition from Wizards of the Coast (Magic: The Gathering) and Topps, with Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG holding a large global share especially in Asia.
Arcade and casino equipment: Competes against Sega, IGT, and Scientific Games in the global gaming machine market.
Strong competitive edge in Japanese domestic sports game market with winning baseball and soccer titles
Recent franchise revivals have helped regain market share in the AAA console game space after a period of strategic contraction
Diversified revenue streams across gaming, TCG, and casino equipment reduce reliance on any single market
Konami is a well-established Japanese entertainment conglomerate with a diversified brand portfolio spanning video game development, trading card games, arcade systems, and casino gaming equipment. Its brand equity is anchored by decades of iconic intellectual property that has maintained cultural relevance across multiple generations of consumers, allowing it to hold strong competitive positions in both niche and mainstream entertainment segments. Unlike many single-sector gaming companies, Konami's cross-sector business model has helped it navigate major industry shifts, from the rise of mobile gaming to changing global regulatory environments for casino operations.
Konami benefits from strong name recognition among gaming enthusiasts worldwide, driven by flagship franchises including Metal Gear, Silent Hill, Castlevania, and the Yu-Gi-Oh! media franchise. Its successful strategy of monetizing existing proven IP through remasters, reboots, and cross-media adaptations has reinforced brand visibility in recent years, while its long-standing arcade and casino equipment divisions deliver stable recurring revenue. The company has effectively leveraged its well-known IP to expand into adjacent markets such as branded merchandise and digital entertainment, further strengthening its overall brand value.
Brand leadership
Score: 82/100
Konami holds leading market shares across multiple core business segments, including a dominant position in the global collectible trading card game market through Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG, and a top 10 ranking among global video game publishers by cumulative intellectual property value. It outperforms most regional competitors in the casino equipment sector across Asian markets, and its library of decades-old hit franchises gives it significant competitive clout in the global gaming industry.
Consumer interaction
Score: 75/100
Konami maintains active engagement with its global fanbase through official social media channels, participation in major gaming conventions, and regular updates to its popular franchises and digital game services. It hosts official global tournaments for Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG that draw millions of participants annually, and fans interact consistently with the brand through dedicated online communities, creating steady two-way engagement between the company and its consumer base.
Brand momentum
Score: 78/100
In recent years, Konami has generated strong positive brand momentum from the successful launch of remasters and reboots of its classic horror and action franchises, including the high-selling Silent Hill 2 remake. It has expanded its footprint in mobile gaming and modern casino technology, driving steady growth in revenue and brand awareness across segments, with growing consumer and investor confidence in its long-term IP-focused strategy.
Brand stability
Score: 88/100
Konami has maintained a consistent brand identity and strong financial stability for over five decades, with diversified revenue streams across multiple entertainment sectors that reduce its exposure to downturns in any single market. Its solid balance sheet and loyal customer base for core offerings have allowed it to avoid the brand erosion and financial instability that have impacted many smaller and mid-sized gaming firms through multiple industry cycles.
Brand age
Score: 90/100
Founded in 1969, Konami is one of the oldest surviving gaming and entertainment conglomerates in the world, with more than 55 years of operating history. Its long existence has allowed it to build deep cumulative brand equity with multiple generations of consumers, ranging from older players who grew up with its classic arcade games to younger gamers who engage with its modern remakes and mobile offerings.
Industry profile
Score: 80/100
Konami is a widely recognized and influential brand in the global entertainment and gaming industry, known for its early innovations in arcade game design, collectible trading card game models, and modern casino gaming technology. It has shaped multiple segments of the global gaming industry over decades, setting trends in long-term franchise development and cross-sector IP monetization that have been emulated by competing firms.
Global brand reach
Score: 76/100
Konami distributes its products and services across North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania, with its Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG and core video game franchises boasting large global fanbases. Its casino equipment division has a growing presence in international regulated casino markets, though it retains a stronger brand footprint in its home region of East Asia compared to Western markets, resulting in a moderately high globalization score.
AI can support preliminary brand value reasoning for Konami, but any analytical brand value figures are illustrative only. For a full, audited brand value assessment for Konami, please contact World Brand Lab directly.
Konami (total) 9,268 (09/2025) Konami Digital Entertainment 2,102 (09/2025)‡R2R‡ Konami Arcade Games 501 (10/2025)‡R3R‡ Konami Sports 4,668‡R4R‡
num employees year
09/2025
owner
Kōzuki family (29%)‡R5R‡
homepage
https://www.konami.com/en/
Konami Group Corporation (コナミグループ株式会社), commonly known as Konami,[6] is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo.The company also produces and distributes trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, pachinko machines, slot machines, and arcade cabinets. It has casinos around the world, and operates health and physical fitness clubs across Japan.
The company originated in 1969 as a jukebox rental and repair business in Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan, founded by Kagemasa Kōzuki, who remains the company's chairman.On top of its flagship development subsidiary, Konami also owns Bemani, known for Dance Dance Revolution and Beatmania, as well as the assets of former game developer Hudson Soft, known for Bomberman, Adventure Island, Bonk, Bloody Roar, and Star Soldier.Konami is the twentieth-largest game company in the world by revenue.[7] Konami also publishes the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game, one of the best-selling TCGs in history.Konami's video game franchises include Metal Gear, Silent Hill, Power Pros, Castlevania, Contra, Frogger, Tokimeki Memorial, Gradius, Parodius, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Suikoden, and eFootball (including its predecessors International Superstar Soccer and Pro Evolution Soccer).
History
The company was founded on 21 March 1969 as a jukebox rental and repair business in Toyonaka, Osaka by three business partners: Kagemasa Kōzuki, Nakama, and Miyasako.Kōzuki and Miyasako met while working at Nippon Columbia's Osaka branch; Nakama, who was Miyasako's acquaintance, also worked in the music industry.The name Konami is a portmanteau of their names.[9][10] By 1973, the Japanese jukebox industry was in decline, which caused the business to transition into a manufacturer of electro-mechanical arcade games.[10] On 19 March 1973, the company was officially incorporated under the name Konami Industry Co., Ltd. (コナミ工業株式会社).[11][12] In the late 1970s, Konami began developing video games as a contractor for the, an early video game publisher; its first video game was Block Yard, a coin-operated
Corporate structure
Konami is headquartered in Tokyo.In the United States, Konami manages its digital/arcade/trading card game business from Hawthorne, California, and its casino gaming business from Paradise, Nevada.Its Australian gaming operations are in Sydney.As of March 2019, it owns 22 consolidated subsidiaries around the world.[50]
Japan
Konami Group Corporation: holding company and HQ.[51][52]
Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.: planning, production, publishing, development, and sales of mobile games, home games, card games, music and video software, and merchandise.
Konami Sports Co., Ltd.: ,anagement of fitness clubs and sports classes including swimming, gymnastics, dance, soccer, tennis and golf, and development, manufacture and sale of sports-related products.
Video games
Major titles by Konami include the action Castlevania series, the survival horror Silent Hill series, the action shooter Contra series, the platform adventure Ganbare Goemon series, the stealth action Metal Gear series, the role-playing Suikoden series, the Bemani rhythm game series (which includes Dance Dance Revolution, Beatmania IIDX, GuitarFreaks, DrumMania, and Pop'n Music, among others), Dancing with the Stars, the dating simulation Tokimeki Memorial series, and football simulation Pro Evolution Soccer.[76]
Konami has produced shoot 'em up arcade games such as Gradius, Life Force, Time Pilot, Gyruss, Parodius, Axelay, and TwinBee.Konami's also licenses games based on cartoons, especially Batman: The Animated Series, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Tiny Toon Adventures
Film production
In 2006, various films based on video game franchises began being produced by Konami. Konami produced the Silent Hill film (released in 2006) and announced that it would produce a Metal Gear Solid film.[80] On 4 December 2020, Deadline reported that Oscar Isaac would star as Solid Snake in the adaptation in development at Sony Pictures, with Jordan Vogt-Roberts on board to direct.[81]
Personal computing
In 2020, Konami launched a PC gaming brand in Japan known as Arespear, which includes desktop computers, keyboards, and headsets (the last of which designed in collaboration with Konami's Bemani musicians).The computers have been used in newer Bemani arcade cabinets as a showcase for their capabilities.[82][83][84]
Controversies
Silent Hills and reduced video game development
Silent Hills, set to be the ninth installment of the Silent Hill video game series, was abruptly cancelled in April 2015 without explanation despite the critical acclaim and success of P.T., a playable teaser.[85][86] Hours after the announcement, Konami delisted itself from the New York Stock Exchange.[32] Game co-director and writer Guillermo del Toro publicly criticized the cancellation as not making any sense and questioned what he described as a "scorched earth" approach to removing the trailer.Due to the experience, del Toro stated that he would never work on another video game.[87][88]
See also
Good-Feel, an independent video game company founded by former Konami employees
Kojima Productions, an independent studio from Hideo Kojima with the same name of the previous Konami production team
Treasure, another independent video game company founded by former Konami employees
Ultra Games, an American shell corporation and publishing label formed by Konami
Konami began to achieve success with arcade games in the early 1980s, starting with Scramble (1981), followed by hits such as Frogger (1981), Super Cobra (1981), Time Pilot (1982), Roc'n Rope (1983), Track & Field (1983), and Yie Ar Kung-Fu (1985).[15] Many of its early games were licensed to other companies for US release, including Centuri, Stern Electronics, Sega, and Gremlin Industries.They established its U.S. subsidiary, Konami Inc. (later Konami of America Inc., and Konami Digital Entertainment Inc.), in November 1982;[14] initially based in Torrance, California, they would later move to Buffalo Grove, Illinois, in 1984 following their acquisition of arcade distributor Interlogic, Inc., with Interlogic founder and president Ben Harel serving as president of Konami Inc.[16] It was during this period that Konami began expanding its video game business into the home consumer market following a brief stint releasing video games for the Atari 2600 in 1982 for the U.S. market.[17] The company released numerous games for the MSX home computer standard in 1983, followed by the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985.[18][19] Numerous Konami franchises were established during this period on both platforms, as well as the arcades, such as Gradius, Castlevania, TwinBee, Ganbare Goemon, Contra, and Metal Gear, in addition to success with hit licensed games such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT).Due to the success of its arcade and NES games, Konami's earnings grew from $10 million in 1987 to $300 million in 1991.[20]
In June 1991, Konami's legal name was changed to Konami Co., Ltd. (コナミ株式会社) and its headquarters were relocated to Minato, Tokyo, in April 1993.[14] The company started supporting the 16-bit video game consoles during this period, starting with the Super NES in 1990, followed by the PC Engine in 1991, and the Sega Genesis in 1992.1991 was also the year when Konami introduced a new approach to combat piracy in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project, released for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1991. If the game detected that it was an unauthorized copy, it subtly altered gameplay mechanics. The player’s attack damage was reduced, while enemy attacks became significantly stronger. Additionally, the game's final boss, Shredder, was made invincible, rendering the game impossible to complete. This anti-piracy measure served as a deterrent to unauthorized copies by making the game frustratingly difficult for those using pirated versions.[21]
After the launch of the Sega Saturn and PlayStation in 1994, Konami became a business divisional organization with the formation of various Konami Computer Entertainment (KCE) subsidiaries, starting with KCE Tokyo and KCE Osaka (later known as KCE Studios) in April 1995, followed by KCE Japan (later known as Kojima Productions) in April 1996.Each KCE subsidiary created different intellectual properties such as KCE Tokyo's Silent Hill series and KCE Japan's Metal Gear Solid series (a revival of the Metal Gear series on MSX).In 1997, Konami started producing rhythm games for arcades under the Bemani brand and branched off into the collectible card game business with the launch of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game.[22][23] Konami was not only known for its card games, it also imported into the Pachinko business.Pachinko played a huge role in Konami's success as it started to popularize new never before seen characters.[14]
In July 2000, the company's legal English name was changed to Konami Corporation, but the Japanese legal name remained the same. As the company transitioned into developing video games for the sixth-generation consoles, they branched out into the health and fitness business acquiring People Co., Ltd and Daiei Olympic Sports Club, Inc. which became Konami subsidiaries. In August 2001, the company invested in another video game publisher, Hudson Soft, which became a consolidated subsidiary after Konami accepted new third-party shares issued by them.In January 2003, Avranches Automatique began handling sales of Konami's arcade games in Europe outside the U.K. and Ireland.[24] On February 7, 2003, Betson Enterprises took over distribution and service for Konami's arcade games in the U.S.[25][26][27] Some time later, PMT Sales started handling Konami arcade game sales in the U.K. and Ireland.[24] In March 2006, Konami merged all their video game development divisions into a new subsidiary known as Konami Digital Entertainment Co. (KDE), as the parent company became a pure holding company.Their headquarters were relocated to Minato, Tokyo, in 2007.[14] On January 20, 2009, Electrocoin became the exclusive distributor and after-sale agent of Konami's arcade games in Europe, Russia, the Middle East, and Africa.[28][29]
The absorption of Hudson Soft in 2012 resulted in the addition of several other franchises including: Adventure Island, Bonk, Bloody Roar, Bomberman, Far East of Eden, and Star Soldier.[30][31] In April 2015, Konami delisted itself from the New York Stock Exchange following the dissolution of its Kojima Productions subsidiary.[32] In a translated interview with Nikkei Trendy Net published in the following month, the newly appointed president of Konami's gaming division, Konami Digital Entertainment, Hideki Hayakawa, announced that Konami would shift its focus towards mobile gaming for a while, claiming that "mobile is where the future of gaming lies."[33]
Also in April 2015, the trade name of the company was changed from Konami Corporation to Konami Holdings Corporation during the same month.[14] Konami consolidated its productions teams established in 2004 into their headquarters, including Pawapuro Production, BEMANI Production, Virtual Kiss Production, Loveplus Production, Kojima Productions and others, that year.In 2017, Konami announced that they would be reviving some of the company's other well-known video game titles following the success of their Nintendo Switch launch title Super Bomberman R.[34] In early 2020, Konami moved its headquarters to the Ginza district of Tokyo, which includes a facility for holding esports events as well as a school for esport players.[35][36] In addition, to strengthen its development capabilities and secure talent in line with business expansion, the Konami Creative Front Tokyo Bay was opened in October 2025, located in Ariake, Kōtō, Tokyo as a next-generation research and development base.[37] The group also announced will establish its corporate headquarters in Yaesu, Chuo, Tokyo by 2029, located nearby Ginza branch and Marunouchi's iconic Tokyo Station.[38][39]
Konami announced a major restructuring of Konami Digital Entertainment on 25 January 2021, which including the dissolution of its Product Divisions 1, 2, and 3 to be reconsolidated into a new structure to be announced at a later time. Konami affirmed this would not affect its commitment to video games and was only an internal restructuring.[40] On 1 July 2022 Konami changed its corporate name again from Konami Holdings Corporation to Konami Group Corporation.[14] In April 2023, Konami announced that it has opened a new studio in Osaka, Japan.The new offices, located in the Umeda Sky Building south building, will support the developer in its efforts both grow and endure over the coming decades.Konami suggested that the new building would be a core entity in the studio's current and future projects, noting that it hopes Konami Osaka will encourage "sustainable growth" over the next 50 years.[41]
In February 2024, Konami Digital Entertainment announced the establishment of its own anime studio called Konami Animation.[42] The studio will invest the CG technology and know-how it fostered from game development into animation, and it plans not only to work on Konami's own intellectual properties but in other properties as well.Its first work was a PV for Yu-Gi-Oh! 25th anniversary.[43] In May 2025, Konami announced that it would split off its arcade game business into a new subsidiary known as Konami Arcade Games (led by Bemani musician Yoshitaka Nishimura), leaving Konami Amusement to focus on pachinko and pachislot machines.[44][45][46] In November 2025, following the successful releases of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and Silent Hill f,[47][48] Konami signed a strategic alliance and cooperation with CyberAgent (including Cygames) and Electronic Arts focused on video game business, as well as the signing of the JOC/JPC, NPB, and J-League became official partners.[49]
Konami Amusement Co., Ltd.: production, manufacturing, and sales of pachinko and pachislot machines.
Konami Arcade Games Co., Ltd.: production, manufacturing, and sales of arcade machines.
Konami Business Expert Co., Ltd.
Konami Real Estate, Inc.
KPE, Inc.
Konami Gaming Technology Co., Ltd.: production, manufacture and distribution of gaming machines and casino management systems.
Kōzuki Foundation
Australia
Konami Australia Pty Ltd (established in 1996): production, manufacture and distribution of gaming machines and casino management systems.
America
Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.: former American holding company, formerly Konami of America Inc., Konami Corporation of America. On 13 October 2003, Konami Corporation of Redwood City, California, announced it was expanding its operations to El Segundo, California, under the new name of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. The Redwood City operations have since been consolidated to El Segundo in 2007 and moved to Hawthorne, California, in 2021.[53]
Konami Corporation of America: U.S.-based holding company.
Konami Gaming, Inc. in Paradise, Nevada: production, manufacture and distribution of gaming machines and casino management systems.
Konami Cross Media NY.
Europe
Konami Digital Entertainment B.V.: European regional branch for publishing and distribution of Konami products.
Asia
On 7 November 2005, Konami Corporation announced restructuring Konami Corporation into a holding company, by moving its Japanese Digital Entertainment Business segment under Konami Corporation. The Digital Entertainment Business became Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. The newly established Konami Corporation was expected to begin operation on 31 March 2006.[56]
Konami Digital Entertainment Limited (科樂美數碼娛樂有限公司): established in September 1994 as Konami (Hong Kong) Limited. Korea and Singapore divisions were established in October 2000. In June 2001, the company changed name to Konami Marketing (Asia) Ltd. (科樂美行銷(亞洲)有限公司). In March 2006, the company was renamed Konami Digital Entertainment Limited.[54][55]
Konami Digital Entertainment
Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. (株式会社コナミデジタルエンタテインメント) is Konami's Japanese video game development and publishing subsidiary founded on 31 March 2006.[58] Before Konami Corporation had formally changed to a holding company in 2006, various forms of Konami Digital Entertainment companies had been established either as holding company or publisher.The last of the company, the Japan-based Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd., was split from Konami Corporation during the holding company restructuring process.[59]
Subsidiaries
Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.: North American division, established on 13 October 2003.
Konami Digital Entertainment BV: European division, established on 1 April 2003.
Konami Digital Entertainment Limited: Hong Kong division. Established in September 1994 as Konami (Hong Kong) Limited. In March 2006, it was renamed to Konami Digital Entertainment Limited.
Konami Animation: anime studio established in 2023.
Technology
Subsidiaries
Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.: North American division, established on 13 October 2003.
Konami Digital Entertainment BV: European division, established on 1 April 2003.
Konami Digital Entertainment Limited: Hong Kong division. Established in September 1994 as Konami (Hong Kong) Limited. In March 2006, it was renamed to Konami Digital Entertainment Limited.
Konami Animation: anime studio established in 2023.
Technology
Former subsidiaries
Konami Computer Entertainment Nagoya, Inc. (KCEN), founded on 1 October 1996,[60] was dissolved along with Konami Computer Entertainment Kobe, Inc. (KCEK) in December 2002.[61] On 16 December 2004, Konami Corporation announced Konami Online, Inc., Konami Computer Entertainment Studios, Inc., Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, Inc. and Konami Computer Entertainment Japan, Inc. would merge into Konami Corporation, effective on 1 April 2005.[62][63] On 22 February 2005, Konami Corporation announced Konami Media Entertainment, Inc. would merge into Konami Corporation, effective on 1 March 2005.[64]On 11 March 2005, Konami Corporation announced Konami Traumer, Inc would be merged back into Konami Corporation, effective on 1 June 2005.[65]
On 5 January 2006, Konami Corporation announced the merger of Konami Sports Corporation merged with its parent company, Konami Sports Life Corporation. The parent would be dissolved under the merger, and Konami Sports would become the wholly owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation after share exchange between KC and KS. After the share exchange, KS would be renamed Konami Sports & Life Co., Ltd.[66] On 28 February 2006, Konami Sports Corporation merged with its parent company, Konami Sports Life Corporation, and became Konami Sports Corporation.[67] On 21 September 2010, Konami Corporation announced it has signed an agreement to acquire with Abilit Corporation via share exchange.After the transaction, Abilit Corporation became a wholly owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation, effective 1 January 2011.[68][69] On 1 January 2011, Abilit Corporation was renamed to Takasago Electric Industry Co., Ltd.[70] As part of the acquisition, Biz Share Corporation also became a subsidiary of Konami Corporation.
Megacyber Corporation
On 2 October 2006, Konami Corporation announced it had completed the acquisition of mobile phone content developer Megacyber Corporation.[71] On 6 February 2007, Konami Corporation announced Megacyber Corporation to be merged into Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd., with Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. being the surviving company, effective on 1 April 2007.[72]
Hudson Soft
On 1 April 2011, Konami acquired video game developer Hudson Soft,[73] a company in which Konami had held a controlling stake since 11 April 2005.[74] On 1 March 2012, Hudson Soft merged with Konami Digital Entertainment, with the latter emerging as the surviving entity.[75]
Megacyber Corporation
On 2 October 2006, Konami Corporation announced it had completed the acquisition of mobile phone content developer Megacyber Corporation.[71] On 6 February 2007, Konami Corporation announced Megacyber Corporation to be merged into Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd., with Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. being the surviving company, effective on 1 April 2007.[72]
Hudson Soft
On 1 April 2011, Konami acquired video game developer Hudson Soft,[73] a company in which Konami had held a controlling stake since 11 April 2005.[74] On 1 March 2012, Hudson Soft merged with Konami Digital Entertainment, with the latter emerging as the surviving entity.[75]
all have seen release at some point in the past by Konami on arcades or video game consoles.
Some cinematically styled franchises from Konami are Silent Hill survival horror franchise, and the Metal Gear series.Another successful franchise is Winning Eleven, the spiritual sequel to International Superstar Soccer.In Japan, it is known for the popular Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū series baseball series and the Zone of the Enders games.The company had obtained the rights to Saw from Brash Entertainment when the game's production had been suspended due to financial issues.[77]
Konami is known for its cheat code, which traditionally gives many power-ups in its games.In 2024, FIFA announced Konami as its new official esports partner.This collaboration allows FIFA to host the FIFAe World Cup using Konami's eFootball instead of EA Sports FC. Players can now participate in qualifying matches for two tournaments scheduled for 2024: one for mobile and one for consoles. This partnership aims to enhance eFootball's visibility and attract new players, particularly those who were deterred by previous issues with the game.[78][79]
In 2015, Konami Digital Entertainment CEO Hideki Hayakawa announced that, with few exceptions, Konami would stop making console games and instead focus on the mobile gaming platform.[89][90][91] The decision was heavily criticized by the video gaming community.[92][93][94] Konami UK community manager Graham Day soon after pushed back against the reporting that Konami would cease AAA game production, stating that he believed the root of the problem to be either a mistranslation or a misinterpretation of Hayakawa's remarks.[95]
Kojima Productions
On 3 March 2015, Konami announced it would be shifting focus away from individual studios, notably Kojima Productions. Internal sources claimed the restructure was due to a clash between Hideo Kojima and Konami.[96][97] References to Kojima were soon stripped from marketing material, and Kojima's position as an executive vice president of Konami Digital Entertainment was removed from the company's official listing of executives.[98]
Later that year, Konami's legal department barred Kojima from accepting the award for Best Action-Adventure for his work on Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain at The Game Awards 2015.When announced during the event, the audience booed in disapproval of Konami's actions.Host Geoff Keighley expressed his disappointment in Konami's actions.After actor Kiefer Sutherland accepted the award in Kojima's stead, a choir sang "Quiet's Theme" from The Phantom Pain as a tribute to the absent Kojima.[99][100][101] Kojima left Konami several days afterwards, re-opening Kojima Productions as an independent company.
Treatment of employees and ex-employees
In August 2015, The Nikkei criticized Konami for its unethical treatment of employees.[102][103][104] In June 2017, The Nikkei further reported on Konami's continued clashes with Kojima Productions, preventing the studio's application for health insurance, as well as Konami's actions in making it difficult for former employees to get future jobs; they are notably forbidden from mentioning their work with Konami on their résumés.[105][106] Konami also started filing complaints against other game companies that hired ex-Konami employees, leading to an unspecified major game company warning its staff against doing so.A former employee of Konami stated: "If an ex-[Konami employee] is interviewed by the media, the company will send that person a letter through a legal representative, in some cases indicating that Konami is willing to take them to court"; it also pressured an ex-employee into closing their new business.[106]
9.Masumi Akagi. それは「ポン」から始まった アーケードTVゲームの成り立ち September 2005^
10.Alexander Smith. They Create Worlds The Story of the People and Companies That Shaped the Video Game Industry, Vol. I: 1971-1982 CRC Press, 2019-11-19^
89.Crecente, Brian. Konami CEO: 'Mobile is where the future of gaming lies'.Polygon. Retrieved on February 11, 2018. Hideki Hayakawa: "Gaming has spread to many platforms, but at the end of the day, the platform that is always closest to us, is mobile. Mobile is where the future of gaming lies...with multiplatform games, there's no point in dividing the market into categories anymore. Mobiles will take on the new role of linking the general public to the gaming world."(Original interview in Japanese)^
91.Sinha, Ravi. FOX Engine Overseer Departs From Konami. Retrieved on 3 March 2021. Gaming Bolt. "Konami's worldwide technology director Julien Merceron, who oversees the FOX Engine used in so many of its games like PES 2016 and Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, has left the company...Merceron was leaving due to the lack of 'ambitious projects' on consoles."^
92.Usher, William. Konami Will Stop Making Console Games, Report Says. Cinemablend. Retrieved on January 29, 2018. "Unfortunately it appears as if Konami cutting off Kojima Productions after several years of development and an $80 million budget was so that they could quickly recoup the funds and get out of the console game production business. The whole thing leaves a very sour taste in the mouths of gamers as the realization hits home that this move from Konami may have tainted the Metal Gear legacy considering that instead of The Phantom Pain being an awesome swan song it now leaves more questions than answers in the hands of gamers...Nevertheless, it seems to be a more bitter than sweet end for a lot of Konami franchises. Silent Hills unfortunately won't get to have a proper ending like Metal Gear Solid, or Castlevania, which concluded the series with Lords of Shadow 2."^
93.Fahey, Rob. What is happening at Konami?.Gamesindustry.biz. Retrieved on March 3, 2021. "How does a company like that end up ditching its New York Stock Exchange listing, its most famous developer and the eagerly awaited revival of one of its most-loved game franchises, all in the space of a month? The short answer is simple; this is what happens when a console publisher no longer finds the console game business to be worth its time and investment. After thirty years in the console business (Konami started publishing on the NES in 1985), the negative news around Konami this month is a consequence of it lurching out of the industry that made its name - and knocking over a few flowerpots on the way out."^
94.McFerran, Damien. Konami's Creating A New Castlevania, But It's Not Coming To Consoles.Nintendo Life. retrieved on April 25, 2018. "Yes, we're getting a new Castlevania game - but before you get too excited, it's only coming to Apple's iOS...In the meantime, however, we can't help but feel a little disappointed that Konami isn't focusing on making this a AAA console release; the series certainly deserves that much."^
