Former Konami Employees Blacklisted Across Industry

If you once worked for Konami, don't try putting them on your resume. Reportedly, the video game giant is now preventing "ex-Kons" from putting them down as job experience, even going so far as denying former employees health care via connections elsewhere. Unsurprisingly, former employees who went on to work for Kojima Productions seem to be the ones most under fire.

[AizenSosuke]

Konami are literally scums that should be wipe off the face of the earth doing to their former employee over this.

It's seems I need to activate my Bankai for this.

[UltraNova]

Well said. Jim Sterling should elevate his "Fuck Konami" segment status to full weekly episodes.

Can they even surprise us even further? Damn Komami...damn!

[sonarus]

Over time their business practices will screw up their profits an they will be gone. They don't put out any games that matter to me except MAYBE pro evo soccer

[NewMonday]

"Kojima Productions" looks much better in a resume anyway

[freshslicepizza]

There should be a lawsuit building if true. Konami needs to be exploited on how they treat employess, past and present if any of this is true.

[morganfell]

This is why Boycott Metal Gear Survive needs to become the anthem of gamers everywhere.

[indysurfn]

This is coming back to bite them HARD. They will reach critical mass on reputation! People will have to make a decision. Do I want to take a job at Konami, and never be able to get another job? And also be labeled a scum for it? Or do I want to be able to apply to 99.99999999% of jobs in my field?

[CitizenFour]

Sonarus,

while I agree with you to some degree, Konami also makes slot machines, which is a huge business. I do hope they fail in the games industry at the very least. They deserve to drown.

[xwabbit]

People still want to buy the new MGS ? hopefully not

[conanlifts]

Did they even show it at e3. I don't recall any konami news at all.

[JokerBoy422]

@sd11 yeah they did but no one really cared. The whole setup they had didnt get alot of attention.

[XanderZane]

I won't be buying it. Was Konami even at this years E3?

[UltraNova]

Unfortunately, at least 50% of gamers are oblivious to corporate practices revolving gaming, so yes people will buy a game with MGS in the title.

Its up to us to help spread the word out and boycott the shit out of them.

[pwnsause_returns]

thats why i didnt buy that bomberman game....

and thats why i wont buy anything else from them..

[XanderZane]

The only game they have coming out next is Metal Gear Survive (PS4, XB1 & PC - 2018) and we know it will be crap without Kojima.
Over the past 4 years (2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017) the only games they've released were Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, Metal Gear Solid & Pro Evolution Soccer. Oh and Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu Heroes (2016) for 3DS. That's it. I'd say Konami is probably running out of money and they are angry that Kojima (their money maker) left them and took a large chunk of their employees with him. No one cares about Konami anymore. Only thing I wanted was another Suikoden game on the PS4. Oh well, that is never going to happen.

( https://en.wikipedia.org/wi...

[DragonDDark]

Calm down aizen!

[FallenAngel1984]

Konami finds new ways to sink lower

[TheOttomatic91]

If you honestly want to hurt Konami then hit em where it hurts the money just don't by anymore games from them and they'll change their tune soon.

[2cents]

This^

[Snookies12]

I stopped after MGS:V. They certainly won't see anything from me ever again.

[kent80082007]

They make most of their money with Yugioh and slot machines, I don't think kids and Japanese workers give much of a shit about their business practices.

[morganfell]

Don't refuse to hit them because you can't knock them out. Wound them wherever possible. Death by a thousand cuts if necessary. And best of all, humiliate them as much as possible in the public eye. Regardless of money and this being the 2017, humiliation still carries weight in Japan.

[pwnsause_returns]

PREACH.

[RommyReigns]

And if you do buy Konami, make sure it's second hand

[1Victor]

The problem with that is that the ones we want to help are the ones that will suffer the most as the employees will be fired and can't use the company name on resume or be taken to court (I thing I might be wrong but that is illegal).

[TekoIie]

And I guess I'll never buy anything with their name on it if this is how theyre going to treat their employees.

If there was ever a time for gamers to boycott a company this is it. Don't even click on articles related to their games to disuade outlets from covering them due to low clicks.

Hit em where it hurts.

[justsomeoffdude]

#FuckKonami

[Cmv38]

I rather be ripped off by game stop than give money to konami

[Lionsguard]

I'm glad I waited for MGS5 to be at $7 something on a Humble sale.

[hellothere1977]

it's funny how Kojima has not brought a lawsuit against Konami. here we have this apparent HORRIBLE INJUSTICE done to him and these ex employees, yet Kojima does nothing. i find it quite curious that everyone says he's a "victim" with what seems to be a slamdunk lawsuit...yet, Kojima doesn't even seem to want to clear the air. five bucks says there's much more to the story here than Kojima is letting on.

at the moment, it appears he's content to let the lemmings fight his battle for him in the court of public opinion.

[KillZallthebeast]

He might just think lawsuits are abused so often he would rather just not bother.

[hellothere1977]

lol, dude is a classic narcissist. i highly doubt this is the reason.

[Sunny_D]

It's called contracts and he probably signed a NDA contract that doesn't allow him to bring a lawsuit against Konami.

[hellothere1977]

NDAs don't shield parties from illegal harassment in violation of established laws.

[SgtSlaughter212]

i wonder if you even know what NDA stands for after a comment like that.

[Sunny_D]

@sgt

Oh you must be an expert at NDA's. Tell me expert, what's an NDA?

"It is also possible for an employee to sign an NDA or NDA-like agreement with an employer. In fact, some employment agreements will include a clause restricting employees' use and dissemination of company-owned confidential information."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/...

[antikbaka]

on other hand it shows that Japan culture isn't actually something to be inspired by. They are still too traditional and have tons of prejudices they like discriminating people on.

[KillZallthebeast]

Lol most of asian culture has huge discrimantions. Most people in the west have no idea.

[Artemidorus]

Anyone spends any money on Konami for any pathetic reason is not a gamer in my eyes.

This company needs to be in the history books.

[CernaML]

Good thing no one cares about your eyes.

[Artemidorus]

Then you are a disgrace with the people around you. You deserve the same treatment so you can walk in their shoes.

[DragonDDark]

Why do you give money to people treating their former employees like PoS? We dont even know how they treated them before they left.

[CernaML]

Sorry Im just not a total Kojima nut rider like yourself. If this whole thing was true then Naoki Maeda wouldnt be working at Capcom making music for them. Same applies to Akira Yamaoka. Why hasnt Konami ever gone after him?
Theres clearly more going on behind the scenes but that wont stop fanboys like yourself (a true disgrace in gaming) from jumping the gun.

[Artemidorus]

Intelligence is showing, it's nothing to do with Kojima, you didn't read about the treatment in general.

The fact you defend this nonsense says it all, hope you get the same treatment and learn from it.

[CernaML]

lol In general? Wheres the evidence of that? The article even states that according to their "insider" (because theyre always credible) they seem to targeting Kojima staff mostly. Again if that were true then why didnt we ever hear of Akira Yamaoka being "blacklisted?" Do you even know who that is Mr. "Real Gamer"? Youre just eating up all the sensationalist nonsense from the media like the good little gullible sheep that you are.
I dont work in the gaming industry but I appreciate you wishing ill of me. Shows how incredibly insecure you are. Thats as childish as me saying that Im going to spend $20 at my local arcade to play Dance Dance Revolution just to spite you.
You know what? I think I'll do just that. :^)

[KwietStorm_BLM]

Isn't that like..illegal n stuff?

[Relientk77]

Konami are just A holes

[JackTheLiz]

I'm waiting for that LumpzTheClown guy to come out and somehow defend Konami on this.

[onisama]

They want to hurt the guy who make of konami abig name in the industry thats it no more konami games for me not even pes

[opinionated]

That's not what blacklisted means lol. The article didn't work for me on mobile but I'm almost certain that the article doesn't say that..

[MultiConsoleGamer]

Yeah, the very fact that they refuse to address and fix this issue is absurd. If I were planning to buy a Switch this might actually hinder my decision

[CernaML]

wut?

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

pffft, wrong article, chum.XD

[MultiConsoleGamer]

Yup, sorry about that. I have no idea how this happened.

[Takwin]

I didn't even get Metal Gear V. I will never give them another penny. SCUMBAGS.

[trooper_]

Wow.

That's a nasty scumbag tactic. Once again, you sink to a new low Konami.

[PFFT]

In before Geoff comes in crying about it.

[KryptonKronos]

How salty are Konami? After all their stunts it wouldn't surprise me if they ever got black listed by companies like Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo as developers or producers of video games. They'll be stuck making vending machines in some penny slot arcade.

[jznrpg]

Wow , that's low

[Critic4l_Strik3]

As if it wasnt hard to find a job nowadays and even more now by "excluding" out of the resume a place where you've worked for the last couple years...Konami is a piece of sh*t.

[S-Word]

It was to be expected considering how bad MGSV was. I'm sure the same thing will happen to Ubisoft employees for ruining their franchises.

[XtraTrstrL]

I bet Konami is connected to the Yakuza. Everything going on with how they have acted and how ballsy they are points to such a possibility. I just did a quick google search just now on it and found this - http://www.gamesindustry.bi...

[conanlifts]

If true then Konami needs to be held accountable and sued.

[ApolloTheBoss]

Ok someone with some legal expertise please let me know if this is is illegal?

[CrazedFiend]

Okay, that's it. Somebody needs to take Konami down!

[agent4532]

When is Konami filing for bankruptcy? For real so much hate against Kojima san to the point of black listing former konami employees for working for Kojima.

[DialgaMarine]

It sucks that this company has a lot of pull in Japan, but thank god their seen as an absolute joke on the international level. I really hope Sony keeps throwing them the finger and give Kojima/ other former Konami employees the respect they deserve by continuing to work with them on future projects. Screw Konami. They're nothing but a bunch of corrupt hacks whose only value is the IP's that they hold hostage.

[feraldrgn]

I'm actually surprised for once.
Are they going to take the crown from EA for worst company?

[worldwidegaming]

If true this means people should just stop buying from them. Hit em in the pockets.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

At this point, it might be best if Konami's president resigned, or if the company was bought out by another more trustworthy third party, instead.
I vote Koei-Tecmo or Platinum.

[Dragonscale]

Is this even legal?

[Protagonist]

This should make gamers think twice about buying Metal Gear Survive. Also what is it that makes Konami hate Kojima this much?

[Cobra951]

When a company is this much of a cartoonish villain, screwed former employees might actually have an easier time of getting past it. Everyone knows the company is to blame. Listing Konami on a resume should be a badge of honor, like working behind enemy lines.

[abstractel]

Blacklisting is done not just by Konami, but by many video game companies. It's an ugly practice, it doesn't take into account that people can change, that there's another side to every reason why someone left a company and so on. I realize Konami is the big baddie on the block but don't fool yourselves into thinking it's not done by a lot of other companies in the US and UK.

[dmetripaulpavlin]

If you are buying this you are pretty stupid. You are believing that the people that made some of the best games are being blacklisted by Konami, because you know that the rest of the studios would never want some of the best of the industry. This is some low effort typical Konami hate.

[CernaML]

Well said. Too many Kojima fanboys on this site.

[Matrix6]

I don't need to buy anymore games coming from Konami, even IF they ever do a remaster or remake of Silent Hill (1). Let's move forward.

[GamesMaster1982]

Each to there own but if they ever make a new silent hill im all over it, not letting a few buthurt fans stop me playing great games.

[BlahBlahWhatever]

Konami die the moment Kojima left, he was the last thing that kept Konami relevant after he left their are nobodies & no one will ever care again for anything they do.

RIP KONAMI 1969-2015

[The_Sage]

How the hell is Konami still in business?

[danny818]

instead of gamers trying to convince and talk down on those who game on xbox on here we should all team up, unit and boycott Kanoami... F**#$ those cooperate guy

[DreadGara]

Didn't they say they wanna get better?? And now this?

[Auron]

Wow...... So dirty...wtf really went down there?

[InTheZoneAC]

this is why people shouldn't have bought mgsv new or at full price...but people never want to see the big picture.

[Elda]

Just use Kojima Productions instead of Konami.Konami is petty & disgusting.

[Enigma_2099]

Kona can sit and spin until they get dizzy and throw up.

[BlackDoomAx]

Simply boycott PES. Buy FIFA instead.