There comes a time in every companies life where they must evaluate their leadership and decide if it is taking them in the right direction. You would think a company with such commanding titles as Silent Hill, Metal Gear, and Castlevania has nothing but momentum and a great name to ride into this golden age of video games, but alas they have fallen flat. To find what happened to a company with one of the best game engines in the business flopping around with the strength of a Magikarp, look no further than 2015 and the appointment of Takuya Kozuki as president following the 2014 appointment of Sadaaki Kaneyoshi as CEO.
Don't get me wrong, since Kozuki and Kaneyoshi they have seen some growth in revenue; but while world markets have been gaining Konami has not surpassed their revenue since 2012. Even more interesting is as revenue has stagnated their profit margins have increased, which means there has been some substantial drop in administrative costs. This leads me to believe they have slimmed down their staff quite a bit and the results of this new company structure look to be rearing its ugly head.
Kaneyoshi has done what a many CEO dream of doing and in a few years tanking their companies reputation. In the past few years, Konami has gone from releasing full-on high-named titles to relegating themselves to a crapton of half-assed games on the mobile market. Oh, let us not forget the gripping pachinko machines they are known for! God knows they have given up on DDR, which might be the most understandable thing as arcades have dwindled.
One episode that had a much greater impact on the company that many of us could have ever anticipated was the 2015 exit of Hideo Kojima. Kojima was one of the last vestiges of quality in a world now being dominated by mobile games or mobile like games. In the article from The New Yorker talking about his exit, it noted that even after 15 years of games and one of the most proclaimed Metal Gear Solid titles, the president and CEO didn't bother to show up to his going away party. This shows that it was not only an environment that has moved away from its roots of success but pays no respect to it.
What happened to Konami is simple. People who care little for reputation and art, but instead enjoy income, jumped on the successful name of a company built before them to try and make more money. Something they have been able to do short term but at the cost of their reputation. Metal Gear Survive looks to be the more than the foreshadowing. As we know the mobile market is looking to recreate the bubble and crash of the 80s and Konami have elected to go along for the ride.
I think one of the best victories for everyone in this situation would be if Igarashi nails it with Bloodstained this year. Something I can hardly wait to get my hands on.
Don't get me wrong, since Kozuki and Kaneyoshi they have seen some growth in revenue; but while world markets have been gaining Konami has not surpassed their revenue since 2012. Even more interesting is as revenue has stagnated their profit margins have increased, which means there has been some substantial drop in administrative costs. This leads me to believe they have slimmed down their staff quite a bit and the results of this new company structure look to be rearing its ugly head.
Kaneyoshi has done what a many CEO dream of doing and in a few years tanking their companies reputation. In the past few years, Konami has gone from releasing full-on high-named titles to relegating themselves to a crapton of half-assed games on the mobile market. Oh, let us not forget the gripping pachinko machines they are known for! God knows they have given up on DDR, which might be the most understandable thing as arcades have dwindled.
One episode that had a much greater impact on the company that many of us could have ever anticipated was the 2015 exit of Hideo Kojima. Kojima was one of the last vestiges of quality in a world now being dominated by mobile games or mobile like games. In the article from The New Yorker talking about his exit, it noted that even after 15 years of games and one of the most proclaimed Metal Gear Solid titles, the president and CEO didn't bother to show up to his going away party. This shows that it was not only an environment that has moved away from its roots of success but pays no respect to it.
What happened to Konami is simple. People who care little for reputation and art, but instead enjoy income, jumped on the successful name of a company built before them to try and make more money. Something they have been able to do short term but at the cost of their reputation. Metal Gear Survive looks to be the more than the foreshadowing. As we know the mobile market is looking to recreate the bubble and crash of the 80s and Konami have elected to go along for the ride.
I think one of the best victories for everyone in this situation would be if Igarashi nails it with Bloodstained this year. Something I can hardly wait to get my hands on.
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