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Metal Gear Solid director Hideo Kojima was instructed not to attend last night’s The Game Awards by “a lawyer representing Konami”, according to producer Geoff Keighley.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain won the awards for Best Action/Adventure and Best Score/Soundtrack during last night’s show, but Kojima was not in attendance, leaving the game’s star Kiefer Sutherland to accept the awards on his behalf.
Explaining Kojima’s absence, Keighley announced to viewers that “Mr. Kojima had every intention of being with us tonight, but unfortunately he was informed by a lawyer representing Konami just recently that he would not be allowed to travel to tonight’s award ceremony to accept any awards.
“He’s still under an employment contract and it’s disappointing and it’s inconceivable to me that an artist like Hideo would not be allowed to come here and celebrate with his peers and his fellow teammates.”
The announcement was met with boos from the crowd, reportedly started by Gears of War designer Cliff Bleszinski.
“Yes, I just started this booing myself in here,” Bleszinski tweeted. “#TheGameAwards love you @HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN tell it like it is @geoffkeighley”
Kojima later thanked fans for their support.
The relationship between Kojima and Konami has hit the headlines throughout 2015 after it was first revealed that Konami had removed his name from Metal Gear Solid branding. It was later reported that he intends to leave the company following his contract’s expiration later this month.
Konami, meanwhile, maintains that Kojima is simply “on vacation”.
Source: The Game Awards
