YouTuber Super Bunnyhop recently uploaded a video investigating the truth behind Konami and game designer/director/creator Hideo Kojima's split. Super Bunnhop's investigative video, which features quotes from an "anonymous source" and thoroughly drawn conclusions, has been flagged for removal from Konami, issuing a copyright strike.
The DMCA claim from Konami falls flat, Bunnyhop lays no claim to game footage and does not try to. If their move was to sweep the video under the rug, it won't happen.
The video features statements that Bunnyhop even questions (regardless of trusting his source) because he couldn't verify specific information, but the information that the informant detailed led to some pretty crazy conclusions.
Statements like "Hundreds of people are going to lose their jobs" and "Konami is going to burn the entire MGS franchise to the ground," were titled as hyperbolic in nature and essentially discredited by Bunnyhop (and Konami's own statements). Other statements however, like Konami looking to produce cheaper games and move away from game development coincided with other moves Konami has made.
[Img from AAMARMO]
Konami's non-video gaming businesses, like health clubs and gambling products bring in more money than their video game business – so rumors that suggest Konami is moving away from creating expensive games like Kojima's Metal Gear Solid and moving forward with mobile games and cheaper MGS games without Kojima falls in line with statements from Konami. Sales for Metal Gear Solid are in a steady decline, and it's an expensive game to create. Without Kojima overseeing production it would be much cheaper.
The CEO of Kojima, Kagemasa and Kojima apperently had a fallout – whether or not that's true hasn't been confirmed, but it is confirmed that Kagemasa has invested in gambling (which is illegal in Japan). The legality of gambling in Japan and whether it should be legalized was approached by Japanese lawmakers around the same time Konami switched their focus and removed Kojima's name from products.
There's tons of information in the nearly nine minute long video – you have to watch it for yourself. You can watch the video here.
[Thanks for the heads up NeoGaf]
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