Konami Destroys Another Game Franchise

Following the sad cancellation of Silent Hills and the imminent demise of both Metal Gear Solid and creator Hideo Kojima’s time at the company, Konami has trashed yet another popular game franchise, forcing the end of Japan’s favourite locomotive-themed virtual boardgame, Momotaro Dentetsu.

Creator of the Momotaro Dentetsu series, Akira Sakuma, says the games are “officially finished” after citing mistreatment by Konami executives. In a post on Twitter, Sakuma wrote:

コナミから何の連絡もない。こんな調子でずっとほったらかされた。ここに桃太郎電鉄は、正式に終了します。すべてコナミの石川が握り潰しました。

— さくま あきら (@isetta_23) June 2, 2015

“Konami hasn’t gotten in touch with me at all. This is how they’ve tossed me aside for a while now. I’m announcing here that Momotaro Dentetsu is officially done. Ishikawa at Konami squelched everything.”

The story might not seem like big news outside of Japan, where Momotaro Dentetsu is immensely popular, but in the context of what is happening at Konami recently, it is the latest symptom of the demise of a once-great company.

Sakuma’s treatment at the hand of Konami executives appears to be a trend after the company’s “restructuring”, with reports that tram members of Kojima’s studio, rushing to finish Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain in time for release in December, are effectively being bullied into quitting, subjected to “frequent black-outs, security doors not working, people being forced to move desks every few days,” according to an anonymous source within Konami.

Konami’s scorched Earth policy to its past, seemingly in favour of a move into mobile gaming and gambling, is distressing to watch unfold.

Thank you Kotaku for providing us with this information.

Image courtesy of The Games Cabin.