Hideo Kojima banned from The Game Awards by Konami’s lawyers, according to the event’s host

Hideo Kojima planned to be in attendance at The Game Awards tonight. But as told by the event’s host, Geoff Keighley, he was banned from attending by order of Konami’s lawyers.

“He’s still under an employment contract and it’s disappointing, and it’s inconceivable to me that an artist like [Kojima] would not be allowed to come here and celebrate with his peers and his fellow teammates such an incredible game as Metal Gear Solid V, but that’s the situation we’re in,” Keighley said during the event.

Keighley continued, saying that Kojima was watching The Game Awards from Tokyo, Japan, and that he hopes he will be able to join in 2016. He concluded with a surprise for the game director by introducing a live performance of “Quiet’s Theme” from the Metal Gear Solid V soundtrack by actress Stefanie Joosten, who played the character Quiet in The Phantom Pain.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain received the award for best action/adventure game at the event. Actor Kiefer Sutherland, voice of Snake in Metal Gear Solid V, accepted the award on behalf of Kojima and his team.

Though no context was given, a recent Tweet by Kojima seems to indicate that he is very appreciative of the applause Keighely received while explaining the director’s situation.

Thank you very much.

— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) December 4, 2015

This is the latest in a long line of weird stories stemming from the tumultous relationship between Kojima and Konami. More information on the two parties’ troubled past can be found here at the link.

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