Konami confirms closure of Kojima Productions Los Angeles studio

Konami's L.A.-based development studio, the team formerly known as Kojima Productions Los Angeles, has been closed. Konami confirmed the studio's closure in a statement emailed to Polygon today.

"Konami has made the decision to close its Los Angeles Studio, effective immediately, due to the product development resources being restructured into a more centralized unit," Konami said. "This facility contributed to the recent Metal Gear Solid games. Konami will continue its operations to support all Metal Gear Solid titles, including the recently launched Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain and Metal Gear Online. Metal Gear Online is still scheduled to release for PC Steam in January 2016."

Kojima Productions L.A. officially opened for business in 2013 after a public recruitment campaign. The studio worked on Metal Gear Solid 5 and its competitive multiplayer component, Metal Gear Online.

"The Los Angeles studio emphasizes Konami and Kojima Productions commitment to expanding our development footprint," Konami Digital Entertainment president Tomoyuki Tsuboi said when the studio opened. "The new studio will put Kojima Productions in the heart of the west which will benefit future releases as it will introduce new talent and creativity to the development teams."

Kojima Productions Los Angeles was renamed to Konami Los Angeles Studio earlier this year, when Kojima Productions and Hideo Kojima's names were stripped from Metal Gear Solid websites and box art.

Rumors of Konami Los Angeles Studio's closure circulated on Twitter this week. Sources told Polygon that many staffers left in advance of the developer's closure, once turmoil between Konami and Kojima Productions became public knowledge. Kojima himself reportedly left Konami last month, though the publisher said that the man who created Metal Gear is instead "on vacation."