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A new report claims that Konami has ceased production on all console titles except for the Pro Evolution Soccer series.
That’s according to yet another report from French site Gameblog, although Eurogamer says that it has also been told the claims are true.
As a result it means that there will be no further Metal Gear Solid releases on consoles, with development of all console titles outside of PES being halted internally. The same site this morning reported that Konami’s worldwide technology director Julien Merceron, who oversees Konami’s Fox Engine, has left the company.
Merceron oversaw Konami’s Fox Engine.
Rumours that Konami was planning to abandon console development in favour of what it sees as the more lucrative mobile sector have been around for a while, with Konami saying in May that: Our main platform will be mobiles… at the end of the day, the platform that is always closest to us, is mobile. Mobile is where the future of gaming lies."
However, following the strength of the reaction to the news, the company appeared to play down the statement.
Recently we often hear the term ‘Mobile First’, and I want to specify that Konami’s idea of ‘Mobile First’ is not at all to focus purely on mobile games,” president Hideki Hayakawa said.
Our aim is to continue to build up a comprehensive portfolio of console, arcade, and card game titles for each IP while also making the best possible use of the mobile devices that accompany our customers in their daily life, thus expanding the limits of entertainment and appealing to more and more customers.”
