Konami recently confirmed in a statement that their satellite office in LA, which developed Metal Gear Online, has shut down. The studio is believed to loss several jobs in the process.
Game Spot confirmed the official closure of the Los Angeles studio in a statment given by Konami. The company said that the said action was due to the resources of product development being restructured toward a more centralized unit.
"KONAMI will continue its operations to support all METAL GEAR SOLID titles, including the recently launched METAL GEAR SOLID V: The Phantom Pain and METAL GEAR ONLINE. METAL GEAR ONLINE is still scheduled to release for PC Steam in January 2016."
The LA studio started to operate in 2013 as another division of Kojima Productions. However, there seemed to be a struggle in power between Konami and Kojima Productions in March 2015. Konami then began removing the name of series creator Hideo Kojima from every Metal Gear Solid products. The LA studio was eventually renamed Konami Los Angeles.
After around three decades of working at the company, Kojima reportedly departed from Konami on October 9. Konami has totally denied these reports and said that Kojima is just on a vacation.
The rumors about the closure of Konami Los Angeles Studio has first appeared on the official Twitter account of George Broussard, 3D Realms co-founder.
"Konami has shut down the Kojima Productions LA studio, taking with it approx 35 jobs, just before Xmas," he said.
Meanwhile, Euro Gamer said that "over 20 jobs" were lost in this action by Konami. This report was said to be verified as sources were cited on the matter.
Konami's assurance that Metal Gear Online will still be released for PC Steam may be enough for some. However, other players are still shocked that Metal Gear Online Studio in LA no longer exists.
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