[Game Awards] Kojima v Konami

For large companies, it's hard enough to find ways in which they can endear themselves to their customers. But last night at the Game Awards, Konami figured out how to do exactly the opposite.

And host Geoff Keighley was having none of it.

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Konami, in their infinite wisdom, decided NOT to let Hideo Kojima attend the Game Awards. You know. The guy who kind of CREATED Metal Gear and was the director of one of the biggest games of the year, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (a game that was nominated for multiple awards last night). It makes perfect sense that Konami would do this. The saga between Kojima and Konami has been going on for some timenow and we've known for months that he was leaving the company at some point in the near future, but always through 3rd party sources. Actors, producers, etc were spilling the beans because Kojima, I'm guessing, has some integrity and didn't want to say anything until an appropriate time and Konami wasn't going to do or say anything that could damage MGSV sales.

With all of that, it's still such a boneheaded move by Konami to deny one of video games most loved and revered developers access to an awards ceremony. One, I might add, that Konami probably wouldn't have a damn presence at if it weren't for Kojima and MGSV.

And so, during the Game Awards, Geoff Keighley had decided that this whole thing was ridiculous and had this to say about the situation:

“As you noticed, Hideo Kojima is not here with us tonight and I want to tell you a little about that. Mr. Kojima had every intention of being with us tonight, but unfortunately he was informed by a lawyer representing Konami just recently that he would not be allowed to travel to tonight’s awards ceremony to accept any awards. He’s still under an employment contract. And it’s disappointing and it’s inconceivable to me that an artist like Hideo would not be allowed to come here and celebrate with his peers and his fellow teammates.”

— Geoff Keighley, 2015 Game Awards

Yikes. Savage.

I can't imagine Konami was thrilled about the lawyer information being thrown out there because...well, it makes them look like huge dicks.

For all of the years that Kojima put in at Konami, for all the money AND fans he helped bring in, it's just insane to me that they'd stop him from representing HIS game at the Game Awards. Of course, this is the company that outright stripped the creator's name from all box art and everywhere else they could. I'm not saying that Konami is acting childish but they could certainly stand to do some growing up.

@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN congrats, we miss you my friend!

— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) December 4, 2015

In any case, while Hideo Kojima could NOT attend the Game Awards, 0HITPOINTS WAS able to and we'd like to join Geoff Keighley in congratulating Hideo Kojima and the team at Kojima Productions for not only a fantastic game, but all the nominations and the win for both Best Soundtrack and Best Action/Adventure game. Well done and well deserved.

So. Yep. That's that. Guess I'll...uh...i'll just...ya know....find something to do with my-WHU!? <sound of a fulton shoot opening up and lifting me slightly off the ground>Oh this is not what I had in minnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-

*Hamill