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Kojima Productions

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Kojima Productions Co., Ltd.
Native name
株式会社コジマプロダクション
Kabushiki gaisha Kojima Purodakushon
FormerlyKojima Productions[a] (2005–2015)
Company typePrivate
IndustryVideo games
FoundedApril 1, 2005; 19 years ago (2005-04-01)
FounderHideo Kojima
Headquarters
Shinagawa, Tokyo
,
Japan
Key people
Number of employees
~80[1] (2019)
ParentKonami Digital Entertainment (2005–2015) Independent (2015-present)
DivisionsKojima Productions Amsterdam[2]
Websitekojimaproductions.jp

Kojima Productions Co., Ltd.[b] is a Japanese video game development studio founded in 2005 by video game designer Hideo Kojima, creator of the Metal Gear series. It was established as a subsidiary of Konami.[4] The studio had around 100 employees, but grew to over 200 for Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.[5][6] After leaving Konami and ending the contract, Kojima reformed the company as an independent studio in Shinagawa.[7][8]

History

Formation

File:Kojima Pro Logo.png
Kojima Productions' logo under Konami; the emblem is based upon that of the FOX unit, as introduced in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.
Kenichiro Imaizumi (producer), Yumi Kikuchi (model), and Hideo Kojima in 2007

Kojima Productions was formed on April 1, 2005, after Konami merged several subsidiaries including Kojima's team at Konami Computer Entertainment Japan.[9] Kojima said the merger relieved him of business management and administrative burdens he had as KCEJ's vice president, and that as head of Kojima Productions he could focus on creating games.[9] According to Kojima, while he now held a position on the Konami board, he still had to persuade staff to invest in his game ideas.[10]

Closure

On March 16, 2015, Konami announced that it had restructured the game development operations to "[shift] our production structure to a headquarters-controlled system, in order to establish a steadfast operating base capable of responding to the rapid market changes that surround our digital entertainment business". A few days later, an anonymous Konami employee stated that Kojima and the studio's senior staff had planned to leave Konami in December 2015 following the conclusion of their contracts and the release of The Phantom Pain.[11] Konami denied that Kojima was leaving the company and stated that he would still be involved with the company and the Metal Gear franchise.[12][13] Kojima affirmed that he was still "100% involved" in The Phantom Pain and was determined to make it the greatest game he could.[14]

In December 2015, Kojima Productions was nominated for Developer of the Year at The Game Awards 2015, but lost to CD Projekt Red.[15] Kojima was reportedly blocked from attending the event by Konami's lawyers, requiring Snake's actor Kiefer Sutherland to accept awards for The Phantom Pain on his behalf.[16]

Independent reformation

On December 16, 2015, in a joint announcement with Sony Computer Entertainment, Kojima announced that his company would be re-established as an independent studio, bringing artist Yoji Shinkawa and producer Kenichiro Imaizumi with him.[17][18][19] The studio announced that it would develop a new franchise for PlayStation 4.[20] Kojima stated that he "will be taking on a new challenge by establishing my own independent studio, and I am thrilled to be able to embark on this journey with PlayStation, who I have continued to work with all these past years".[21] At E3 2016, Kojima unveiled a trailer to Death Stranding during Sony's pre-E3 conference.[22][23] It was released by Sony Interactive Entertainment in 2019, and a PC version was released by 505 Games on Windows in July 2020. In November 2019, the studio announced their plans to make films.[24]

Kojima modeled the philosophy of Media Molecule when reforming the studio.[25][26] After visiting the company in 2016, he simultaneously modeled his own, wanting "a small, intimate type of studio".[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] Kojima praised their high number of female employees and relaxed atmosphere, which he compared to that of a family.[26][29][32][33] He set a limit of one hundred employees for the studio, similar to Media Molecule.[25][26][27][31][34]

Imaizumi left the company in 2019.[35] In April 2020, the office was shut down after an employee contracted COVID-19 in the midst of the ongoing pandemic.[36]

In October 2020, it was confirmed the company is working on the next game in development.[37]

In November 2021, Kojima Productions announced that it would open a new business division for films and television series in Los Angeles.[38]

On June 12, 2022 during Microsoft's digital presentation, Kojima announced that it had partnered with Xbox Game Studios to develop a new game that will feature a "never before-seen concept" and leverage Microsoft's "cutting-edge cloud technology".[39]

Games

See also: Works by Hideo Kojima

Though Kojima had been designing games at Konami in 1987, the studio was not officially formed until 2005. However, Konami retroactively referred to Kojima's earlier productions as belonging to the studio.[40] His games for Konami were released until 2015.

Pre-KCEJ/Kojima Productions

Year Title Platform(s) Notes
1987 Metal Gear MSX2 Released only in Japan and Europe. Ported to the NES by a separate team after its initial release.
1988 Snatcher PC-8801, MSX2
1990 SD Snatcher MSX2
Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
1992 Snatcher CD-ROMantic PC Engine Remake of the original Snatcher with an expanded ending and added voice acting. Ported to the Sega CD by another team for the overseas market in 1994. A set of 32-bit ports for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn were released in Japan in 1996, developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo.
1994 Policenauts PC-9821
1995 3DO
1996 PlayStation, Sega Saturn

Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (KCEJ)

Year Title Platform(s) Notes
1997 Tokimeki Memorial Drama Series Vol. 1: Nijiiro no Seisyun PlayStation, Sega Saturn A series of adventure game spinoffs to the Tokimeki Memorial dating sim developed on the Policenauts engine.
1998 Tokimeki Memorial Drama Series Vol. 2: Irodori no Lovesong
Metal Gear Solid PlayStation First Kojima game to be developed under the Konami Computer Entertainment Japan subsidiary
1999 Tokimeki Memorial Drama Series Vol. 3: Tabidachi no Uta PlayStation, Sega Saturn
Metal Gear Solid: Integral PlayStation Expanded version of the original Metal Gear Solid featuring a third disc of bonus missions. The third disc was released by itself as Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions in North America and as Metal Gear Solid: Special Missions in the PAL region. Windows version developed by Digital Dialect.
2000 Windows
Metal Gear: Ghost Babel Game Boy Color
2001 Zone of the Enders PlayStation 2
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
2002 The Document of Metal Gear Solid 2
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance Xbox, PlayStation 2 Expanded version of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Windows version developed by Success.
2003 Windows
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner PlayStation 2
Boktai Game Boy Advance
2004 Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes GameCube Remake of the first Metal Gear Solid developed in collaboration with Silicon Knights
Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django Game Boy Advance
Metal Gear Acid PlayStation Portable
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater PlayStation 2

Kojima Productions (Konami subsidiary)

Year Title Platform(s) Notes
2005 Shin Bokura no Taiyō: Gyakushu no Sabata Game Boy Advance Third game in the Boktai series that was released only in Japan. Also known as Boktai 3: Sabata's Counterattack.
Metal Gear Acid 2 PlayStation Portable
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence PlayStation 2 Expanded version of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.
2006 Kabushiki Baibai Trainer Kabutore Nintendo DS
Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel PlayStation Portable
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
2007 Lunar Knights Nintendo DS Fourth game in the Boktai series, which was retitled for its overseas release
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus PlayStation Portable
2008 Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots PlayStation 3
Metal Gear Online
2009 Gaitame Baibai Trainer: Kabutore FX Nintendo DS
Metal Gear Solid Touch iOS
2010 Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker PlayStation Portable
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Collaboration with MercurySteam
2011 Metal Gear Solid HD Collection PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 HD conversions of MGS2, MGS3 and Peace Walker. The Vita versions only includes MGS2 and MGS3. In Japan, Peace Walker was given a separate retail release for PS3 and Xbox 360.
2012 PlayStation Vita
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D Nintendo 3DS
Metal Gear Solid: Social Ops Mobile
Zone of the Enders HD Collection PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
2013 Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Collaboration with PlatinumGames
Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection PlayStation 3 Compilation that includes all the titles in the HD Collection, plus MGS4 and a voucher code for the original MGS and its expansion
2014 Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
P.T. PlayStation 4 "Playable teaser" for the cancelled Silent Hills; credited under the pseudonym "7780s Studio"
2015 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Kojima Productions (independent studio)

Year Title Platform(s) Notes
2019 Death Stranding PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 First game to not be affiliated with Konami; published on PS4 in 2019 by Sony Interactive Entertainment and on PC in 2020 by 505 Games. A Director's Cut version was released in 2021 for PS5 and in 2022 for PC.
2020 Windows
TBA Untitled Xbox Game Studios game[41] TBA
TBA Untitled Death Stranding sequel[42] TBA

Notes

  1. ^ Kojima Purodakushon (Japanese: 小島プロダクション)
  2. ^ From 2005 to 2015, as subsidiary of Konami Digital Entertainment, known as Kojima Productions (小島プロダクション, Kojima Purodakushon), 小島 being the kanji for the last name of the studio's head, Hideo Kojima. In December 2015, Kojima re-incorporated the studio independently as Kojima Productions Co., Ltd. (株式会社コジマプロダクション, Kabushiki gaisha Kojima Purodakushon), コジマ being a phonetic katakana rendering of his last name.[3]

References

  1. ^ Brown, Peter (September 17, 2019). "Hideo Kojima Says It's His Destiny To Take Risks And Create New Games". GameSpot. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  2. ^ "Death Stranding Uses Guerrilla's Decima Engine; Kojima Setting Up Satellite Studio In Amsterdam". WCCF Tech. December 5, 2016.
  3. ^ Mark MacDonald (December 25, 2015). "12/25/2015: MERIKURI". 8-4 (Podcast). Event occurs at 1:30:45. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  4. ^ Karlin, David (September 28, 2005). "Hideo Kojima Blogs About Life, Metal Gear". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on May 23, 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2008.
  5. ^ Blevins, Tal (August 19, 2005). "GC 2005: Hideo Kojima Interview". IGN. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2008.
  6. ^ Nutt, Christian (October 15, 2007). "Infiltrating Kojima Productions: Ryan Payton Talks Metal Gear Solid 4". Gamasutra. p. 5. Archived from the original on November 12, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2008.
  7. ^ Sliva, Marty (January 25, 2017). "Hideo Kojima, Death Stranding, and Building the Studio". IGN. Archived from the original on April 3, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  8. ^ Hansen, Steven (December 16, 2015). "Metal Gear creator starts Kojima Productions to work on PS4 exclusive". Destructoid. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  9. ^ a b "Hideo Kojima Exclusive Q&A". GameSpot. May 20, 2005. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2008.
  10. ^ Doree, Adam (August 24, 2008). "Hideo Kojima: The Kikizo Interview 2008". Kikizo. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
  11. ^ Brown, Peter; Crossley, Rob (March 20, 2015). "Kojima Expected to Leave Konami After MGS5, Inside Source Confirms". GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  12. ^ Megan, Farokhmanesh (March 19, 2015). "Konami removes Kojima name from Metal Gear games, Kojima rumored to leave (update)". Polygon. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  13. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (March 20, 2015). "Konami announces plan for brand new Metal Gear series". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on November 30, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
  14. ^ McWhertor, Michael (March 20, 2015). "Hideo Kojima says he's still '100 percent involved' in completing Metal Gear Solid 5". Polygon. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
  15. ^ "Nominees | The Game Awards 2015". The Game Awards. Ola Balola. November 12, 2015. Archived from the original on November 14, 2015. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
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  17. ^ Dyer, Mitch (December 16, 2015). "Hideo Kojima Talks New Studio, 'Edgy' PlayStation Game, and the Future". IGN. Archived from the original on November 8, 2019. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  18. ^ Tucker, Jake (December 16, 2016). "Shinji Hirano named as new President of Kojima Productions". MCV/Develop.
  19. ^ Dennison, Kara (January 16, 2017). "Former Konami Staffers Follow Hideo Kojima to His New Company". Crunchyroll. Otter Media. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019.
  20. ^ "Sony Computer Entertainment Enters Into An Agreement with Kojima Productions" (Press release). Sony Computer Entertainment. December 16, 2015. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
  21. ^ McWhertor, Michael (December 16, 2015). "Hideo Kojima confirms departure from Konami, forms new studio and partnership with Sony". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  22. ^ McWhertor, Michael (June 15, 2016). "Death Stranding's teaser probably won't be playable, Hideo Kojima says". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on December 5, 2019.
  23. ^ O'Connor, Alice (June 14, 2016). "Kojima Productions Announce Death Stranding". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  24. ^ Purslow, Matt (November 4, 2019). "Kojima Productions Plans to Make Films in the Future". IGN. Archived from the original on November 5, 2019. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  25. ^ a b c Sliva, Marty (January 26, 2017). "Hideo Kojima, Death Stranding, and Building the Studio". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 12, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  26. ^ a b c d Barker, Sammy (May 24, 2016). "Hideo Kojima Modelling New Studio on Media Molecule". Push Square. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on July 17, 2017. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  27. ^ a b Holmes, Mike (May 23, 2016). "Kojima on why he's modelling his studio on Media Molecule". Gamereactor. Gamez Publishing A/S. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  28. ^ "Hideo Kojima Tries PlayStation VR, Visits LittleBigPlanet Dev Media Molecule". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. January 25, 2016. Archived from the original on June 28, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  29. ^ a b Goldfarb, Andrew (February 19, 2016). "DICE 2016: Why Kojima Hopes to Keep His New Studio Small". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 10, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  30. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (January 26, 2017). "Hideo Kojima shows off his fancy new studio". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on August 6, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  31. ^ a b "Kojima's new studio is modeled on Media Molecule and won't go over 100 employees". PCGamesN. Network N. May 24, 2016. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  32. ^ a b "Kojima's new studio inspired by Media Molecule". MCV/Develop. Biz Media. May 24, 2016. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  33. ^ a b Prell, Sam (May 23, 2016). "Hideo Kojima is modeling his new studio after LittleBigPlanet dev Media Molecule". GamesRadar+. Future Publishing. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  34. ^ a b "Hideo Kojima's World Tour: Building Games & Studios". Gamereactor. Gamez Publishing A/S. May 24, 2016. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  35. ^ Gera, Emily (May 17, 2020). "Metal Gear Solid veteran Ken-Ichiro Imaizumi joins Tencent a year after leaving Kojima Productions". VG247. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020.
  36. ^ Carreau, Glenn (March 30, 2020). "Kojima Productions Employee Tests Positive for Coronavirus". Game Rant. Archived from the original on April 30, 2020.
  37. ^ Gurwin, Gabe (October 22, 2020). "Kojima Productions Has Started Its Next Game, And It's Hiring". GameSpot.
  38. ^ Makuch, Eddie (November 22, 2021). "Kojima Productions Opens A Film And TV Business". GameSpot. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  39. ^ McWhertor, Michael (June 12, 2022). "Hideo Kojima is working on a new Xbox game". Polygon. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  40. ^ "Kojima Productions Lineup". Konami. 2008. Retrieved June 4, 2008.
  41. ^ "Microsoft and Kojima Productions announce partnership for new title". Gematsu. June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  42. ^ McWhertor, Michael (May 20, 2022). "A new Death Stranding is happening, Norman Reedus says". Polygon. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
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