Geoff Keighley, host and organizer of The Game Awards, said during the broadcast that Hideo Kojima was informed by a lawyer representing Konami that he would not be allowed to attend the show. The announcement came shortly after Kiefer Sutherland accepted an award on Kojima’s behalf. Keighley was clearly upset at the Metal Gear mastermind's absence.
A few moments later, Keighley tweeted at Kojima during the event:
@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN congrats, we miss you my friend!
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) December 4, 2015
Those who were at the event say that a chant against Konami gained some momentum. Other videogame developers and journalists took to the social media network to voice their disapproval as well:
@geoffkeighley @HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN pic.twitter.com/5Vm5B4wADR
— Alexa Ray Corriea (@AlexaRayC) December 4, 2015
Yes, I just started this booing myself in here. #TheGameAwards love you @HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN tell it like it is @geoffkeighley
— Cliff Bleszinski (@therealcliffyb) December 4, 2015
Kojima has attended Keighley's award show productions in the past, including the announcement of The Phantom Pain in 2012. The game was originally announced as being developed by a new studio called Moby Dick Studio. After some internet sleuths did some digging, it turned out the title was actually the next major entry in the Metal Gear franchise.
Konami has long been trying to disassociate Kojima from the Metal Gear name. They asked a journalists to delete references to Kojima, and removed his name from the game. Kojima Productions Los Angeles was also renamed to Konami Los Angeles Studio. This coincided with the official Metal Gear Twitter account being replaced with a new one. These shifts fueled speculation that the relationship between Kojima and Konami was strained at best, and almost over at worst.
While both Konami and Kojima released a statement that said he was still involved with Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, Kojima also said the game would be his final entry in the franchise. In October, the company denied that he had left, saying he was on vacation. Keighley's comments at The Game Awards tonight indicate that Kojima is still a Konami employee.
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain launched in September on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC.
(Note: This is a developing story, and this article will be updated as more information comes to light.)
