Controller Creator Blog Konami Issues an Apology and Explains their Statement 'Mobile First' Future

Konami has made a lot of decisions recently which left the gaming world wondering about their future and of those games that they publish, Metal Gear Solid and Silent Hill being the more pressing ones.Recently the issued a statement saying that they will target mobile gaming more which put many people questioning exactly what they were planning. With the split between Konami and Kojima, also cancellation of Silent Hills, Konami's future didn't seem to certain.However it seems that the situation might have been a bit misleading. In a statement to IGN, a Konami representative said,"We are aware that the conjecture surrounding our recent changes has prompted a great deal of anxiety, for which we apologise. The Metal Gear and Silent Hill series, both beloved by countless fans around the globe, are also extremely important to Konami.""We have nurtured them with care over many years since their inception, and will continue to produce products for both franchises, but we are not currently at a stage where we can announce the path these future titles will take."As for what they plan in the near future, Konami President and Representative Director Hideki Hayakawa said to Nikkei,"Konami's idea of Mobile First is not at all to focus purely on mobile games.""Our aim is to continue to build up a comprehensive portfolio of console, arcade, and card game titles for each IP while also making the best possible use of the mobile devices that accompany our customers in their daily life, thus expanding the limits of entertainment and appealing to more and more customers," Hayakawa said. "Japan is our primary market for mobile content, [as] the Japanese market is populated with consumers who are extremely particular and discerning, and it is this environment that has helped us polish game design quality to such a high level."Explaining the situation regarding MGS V and Hideo Kojima, Hayakawa said,"Until now, in addition to game development duties, our creators were handling a wide range of responsibilities including managerial roles; we have changed our approach to instead have managerial staff thoroughly focus on strategy and how their individual skills can be best applied, with that strategy then being executed together with the creative staff."Guess this is what it meant when rumors suggested Hideo Kojima was "fired". Guess the extent of his role in Konami was reduced due to their new "unification" plan. Wonder what it means for Hideo Kojima going in the future, as well as the MGS series.