The recently released game collection “Metal Gear Solid“, called “Master Collection Vol. 1”, comes with a notable absence in the credits: the name of its own creator, Hideo Kojima.
This exclusion provoked reactions in the gaming community and brought to light the turbulent history of the relationship between Kojima and Konami, the series’ publisher.
Although the collection brings together the first three titles of the beloved “Metal Gear Solid” franchise, as well as the “MSX” classics, “Metal Gear” and “Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake”, the name of Hideo Kojimawhose influence on the series is undeniable, is not present in the credits.
Instead, Konami opted for a generic thank you that doesn’t mention the main people involved in creating the games.
Absence felt by the community
Kojima is recognized as a central figure in the Metal Gear series, having played a key role in most of the games and receiving acclaim as a gaming industry genius.
However, the relationship between the renowned developer and Konami soured in 2015, following the release of “Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” and the demo of the now canceled “Silent Hills”, known as “PT”.
Problems during the development of MGS V and the subsequent cancellation of “PT” resulted in Kojima leaving the studio and the closure of Kojima Productions. Years later, Kojima founded an independent studio and ventured into projects such as “Death Stranding“.
Although Hideo Kojima’s name is still present in the individual credits of each game in the collection, his absence in the collection’s general credits did not go unnoticed.
David Hayter, Snake’s legendary voice actor, and the games’ original production team were also excluded from the credits for “Master Collection Vol. 1”, sparking discussions in the fan community about the importance of recognizing Kojima’s contribution to the series.
The exclusion of Hideo Kojima and other team members from the collection’s credits emphasize, once again, the challenges in relationships between creators and publishers in the games industry. It continues to be a topic of debate among fans.
