Cognition Dissemination: Where Konami is Going

Konami did a fantastic job angering a sizable segment of the gaming community in the last two months. News of Hideo Kojima’s internal demotion and rumors of eventual departure were only the beginning, as they also killed the dreams of anyone looking forward to a good horror game by announcing the removal of P.T. from PlayStation Network and cancelling Silent Hills. The teaser included at the end of the former indicated how development for the latter was well underway, but it was the kind of project Konami no longer wanted to invest in, especially with the departure of Kojima and members of the now-defunct Kojima Productions impending.

Additionally, when Konami said they were removing P.T., they meant that in the most literal sense possible. After seeing the news at the end of April, helpful individuals around the internet told people who don’t have a PlayStation 4 yet to try and secure a copy for themselves by putting the title in their download list. There, it could remain for downloading purposes when they purchased the system down the line, regardless of it being removed from PSN’s storefront. But no one expected Konami to make it so the title couldn’t be downloaded again, even for those who downloaded it before or put it in their download list.

It’s a harsh lesson showing what can happen when a game never given a retail release is pulled from downloadable services, because now it’s gone forever. Naturally, some are already capitalizing on the opportunity by selling systems with P.T. installed on bidding sites for super-inflated prices. Anyone who never downloaded it and wants to pay the same price as those who did will have to experience it vicariously through Let’s Plays and Long Play’s. Though this isn’t the best example, since the title was free, moves like this set a dangerous precedent for digital distribution on closed platforms — at least, in a more pessimistic future.

P.T. was apparently delisted because it featured the likeness of actor Norman Reedus, who Konami has ended their contact with. While several licensed games have previously been pulled from digital services for similar reasons, they’re still available for redownload for those who don’t have it on their hard drive. Konami could get away with this because it was a free title, but that doesn’t prevent this ordeal from feeling like a middle finger.

Konami’s reputation with gamers was already in the gutter, thanks to no one outside of Kojima being able to lead a project from within the company, and not bothering to cultivate other potential creators. It’s why no one believes them when they claim to have plans to continue the Metal Gear and Silent Hill franchise beyond Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and the cancelled Silent Hills in terms of video games for the gaming audience, and nor should they. These are serious setbacks for their core-aimed internal game developments, but evidence suggests they won’t need or care out that with the direction they’re heading in.

Since this debacle began unfolding, I’ve seen plenty of comments suggesting that Konami could go out of business at any time now, that the company’s execs are doing their best to plunge it into the ground. Many aren’t aware of the sheer number of businesses the company is invested in, which are far profitable than the AAA gaming one. Their focus for these other districts is mostly on Japan, and reports of them aren’t well publicized outside the country, so it’s no surprise most English-speakers aren’t privy to their other exploits.

Many Konami Sports Club health and fitness facilities exist in Japan, and the company also manufacturers exercise equipment. They feature aggressively-priced gym memberships and dedicated sports teams, along with providing assistance in planning sports events. Like any developed country, fitness initiatives are frequently profitable ventures. It’s also why Nintendo wants to break into the industry with their yet-to-be-revealed non-wearable “Quality of Life” products, though whether their initiative will be successful is a separate conundrum.

Not to imply Konami doesn’t have other initiatives outside Japan. The company manufactures and provides casino machines for play in Las Vegas, as recently shown with the reveal of two new Dungeons & Dragons slot machines. And like any big Japanese gaming company, they also provide pachislot. And though the Pachislot and Pachinko industry has seen far better days in terms of profits, it remains a multibillion dollar one. In fact, the company recently reported that a good part of their profits were driven by their Pachislot products.

If you aren’t depressed yet, know that this is how Castlevania and Suikoden will partially live on — in addition to some small mobile tie-ins. That same financial report also reduced the importance of their video gaming sector, just to drive the point home further.

Also, don’t forget Konami maintains children’s trading card game Yu-Gi-Oh!. The anime and video game adaptations aren’t making as much as they used to, but the card game remains popular in Japan and…in America.

Given how profitable other services are for Konami, it’s tough to blame them for wanting out of the gaming sector, despite the plethora of classic properties they own. The AAA gaming industry is a cutthroat one that few top companies can safely invest millions in on an annual basis. With budgets perpetually rising and the increasing risks involved in developing AAA games, some were bound to leave it behind eventually — especially if they’re in a country where the hobby’s popularity is dwindling at a frightening pace. Konami’s exit was inevitable, and the time of its occurrence just happens to be now.

But man, they made sure to abandon this ship in the worst way possible. It would have been worth a pat on the back if it didn’t make everyone who ever enjoyed the company’s gaming output feel empty inside. Hopefully the company’s former developers can venture elsewhere and continue making games, like former Castlevania producer Koji Igarashi apparently is.