Konami is now firmly back in control of its wavering fortunes but how has it managed to turn things around? It's a success story that's both informative and inspiring, and we're here to accompany you through it all!

I‘m pretty happy to be writing this one, considering that Konami has been a part of my gaming journey ever since I first played Contra as a kid and later picked up a copy of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater as a teenager. However, even I cannot deny that the Japanese giant lost its way a little in the earlier years of this decade in gaming.

Its split with Hideo Kojima and Kojima Productions, along with an unfortunate pivot into mobile gaming, saw the studio fall from the good graces of its fans and the gaming community at large. The company saw its image drop, a factor that was quite evident when it cancelled Silent Hills, an addition to the franchise that had garnered a lot of interest thanks to Kojima’s involvement with its development.

It’s quite an uphill task for any studio to earn back the goodwill of the gaming world, both among critics and players, and that’s especially true today, thanks to an increasingly competitive industry and very discerning audiences. However, it seems that Konami has left the mistakes of its past behind and managed to turn things around with a few well-thought-out releases that have gamers and critics optimistic about its future prospects.

But just how has Konami managed such a reversal of its fortunes? Let’s find out.

Success Stories

The studio’s recent successes have come in almost continuously, each bringing it a fair amount of recognition for the way in which it has handled them. Take Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 1, for example. It stuffed a lot of value into one comprehensive package, bringing the early days of a very successful franchise back into the limelight ahead of the studio’s ambitious 2025 remake of Naked Snake’s original adventure in Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.

That remake has since hit the shelves and has brought a lot of goodwill towards Konami, thanks to the manner in which it has managed to weave in modern touches to the title while retaining its iconic narrative and gameplay elements in a manner that brings both nostalgia and engagement in equal measures. Konami demonstrated an ability to understand exactly what clicked among its audiences, while remaining respectful of Kojima’s work – a factor that was especially challenging considering the acrimonious circumstances of the widely discussed split with the legendary director.

There’s more to come from the studio on the Metal Gear Solid front, which we’re going to get to in a moment. But there are other instances of the studio utilising the momentum of its past to chart a new course into its future. The release of Suikoden 1 & 2 Remastered for the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and also the Switch 2 is a showcase of intelligent use of its IPs to regain its standing in the modern gaming landscape.

There was also Silent Hill: The Short Message, a PS5 exclusive that saw the studio bring a very insightful take on cyberbullying that made waves with younger gamers thanks to the manner in which its content resonated with them. It was a showcase of the studio’s ability to play to its strengths and come up with titles that spoke to its audiences, a trait that has had quite a significant part in its shot at redemption.

The Short Message was good enough to be considered among the better titles that populate the Silent Hill franchise, and did just about enough to make it stand on its own two legs through a few bold moves from Konami. One of them was the decision to move the game away from Silent Hill, and another was the decision to do away with a combat system. It allowed for an experience that was both narratively grounded and allowed Konami to attempt a few creative flourishes with the formula.

While they may not have been as well-received as the studio had hoped, the fact that the studio was able to recapture what was great about the Silent Hill formula had many in the gaming world excited for what it would bring to the table in future instalments.

That success was soon followed by the 2024 remake of Silent Hill 2, which saw the studio collaborate with The Bloober Team for a remake that was very well-received by both players and critics alike. It showed the studio’s ability to work with external partners, something it had drawn a lot of flak for during its troubled times. Like Delta, this title also retained everything that was great about the original release while implementing changes that have earned it a place among the best of the current generation of games.

All of these wins brought success, confidence, and valuable lessons to the studio. And it seems that Konami has taken those lessons to heart and is now ready to usher in a new age of dominance in modern gaming. Which brings us to Silent Hill f.

Course Corrections

It’s no secret that Silent Hill f has struck a chord with us, and the gaming world at large since its release earlier this week. But that’s no coincidence, and is a reflection of how far Konami has managed to come since the setbacks of its turbulent phase. Choosing to collaborate with NeoBards Entertainment, early previews of the game were concerned about Soulslike influences making radical changes to the franchise’s beloved formula.

However, those concerns have since been rendered unfounded, as the new combat system actually made things all the more immersive. Konami made bold choices for the game that have paid dividends. Like The Short Message, the new setting of Ebisugaoka and the integration of Japanese mythology into the mix have showcased the studio’s ability to bring ambitious touches to existing IPs that work well. I couldn’t help but wonder if The Short Message was a sort of test to see what the response to a new setting would be like.

Silent Hill f’s examination of agency through the lens of Hinako’s adventure is a perfect recreation of what made the franchise great in the first place, and Konami has proven that it’s well and truly back to doing what it has done best in the past. And it looks like the beloved studio is just getting started.

For instance, while everyone knew that it was going to continue remaking Metal Gear Solid games after the success of Delta, the studio’s attempts to reach out to the franchise’s fanbase and see which of its titles they would like to see remade next is quite a clever move in my book. It showcases that the studio knows just how much its fans love the Metal Gear franchise, and is dedicated to earning more of their goodwill as it charts a course into the future. Oh, and let’s not forget that Master Collection Vol. 2 is on the way and is sure to garner a lot of interest from new players who’ve played Delta and now know what the fuss is all about.

There’s also the remake of Silent Hill 1 on the cards, which could once again allow the studio to bring a faithful yet modernised recreation of a great title from its past to a new generation of gamers who are sure to be quite interested in it thanks to the success of Silent Hill f. And I’d be remiss not to mention Silent Hill: Townfall, a title that has me quite excited thanks to it being the beginning of a kind of anthology, which is a great idea in my book.

That’s because it’s going to allow Konami to work with some very creative teams and continue bringing inspired touches to a very successful formula. It could allow Silent Hill to feel very familiar yet fresh every time there’s a new addition to the franchise’s ranks. No Code (or Screen Burn as we now know them) is sure to put a unique stamp on the experience they are building, after all. It has me quite curious to see which studiOS Konami would choose to work with next.

A Bright Future Ahead

Konami’s redemption arc has me quite excited for how the studio is going to sustain its current success. It has clearly learned to balance its creative vision against innovative ideas coming in from those it chooses to partner with, a limitation that has hindered its progress in the past.

It remains dedicated to its fans, staying true to what they would expect from new additions to beloved franchises, while its remakes ensure that they recapture the magic of what made them great in the first place.

It has demonstrated that it’s not afraid to shake things up a bit, making its new games resonate even better with their audiences as a result. Its resilience and bravery have allowed it to claw its way back into the spotlight of modern gaming, allowing it to reclaim its place on a global stage that I was worried it was on the verge of exiting without a hint of the grace that brought it there in the first place.

I remain optimistic that Konami is going to go from strength to strength in what could be a very exciting future for the studio. And that has me excited, not just because I get to play more great titles, but also because this is a success story that could very well inspire others to achieve similar heights.

I appreciate the presence in gaming that has, and probably will, continue to be among the medium’s finest.

Konami is now firmly back in control of its wavering fortunes but how has it managed to turn things around? It's a success story that's both informative and inspiring, and we're here to accompany you through it all!

I‘m pretty happy to be writing this one, considering that Konami has been a part of my gaming journey ever since I first played Contra as a kid and later picked up a copy of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater as a teenager. However, even I cannot deny that the Japanese giant lost its way a little in the earlier years of this decade in gaming.

Its split with Hideo Kojima and Kojima Productions, along with an unfortunate pivot into mobile gaming, saw the studio fall from the good graces of its fans and the gaming community at large. The company saw its image drop, a factor that was quite evident when it cancelled Silent Hills, an addition to the franchise that had garnered a lot of interest thanks to Kojima’s involvement with its development.

It’s quite an uphill task for any studio to earn back the goodwill of the gaming world, both among critics and players, and that’s especially true today, thanks to an increasingly competitive industry and very discerning audiences. However, it seems that Konami has left the mistakes of its past behind and managed to turn things around with a few well-thought-out releases that have gamers and critics optimistic about its future prospects.

But just how has Konami managed such a reversal of its fortunes? Let’s find out.

Success Stories

The studio’s recent successes have come in almost continuously, each bringing it a fair amount of recognition for the way in which it has handled them. Take Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 1, for example. It stuffed a lot of value into one comprehensive package, bringing the early days of a very successful franchise back into the limelight ahead of the studio’s ambitious 2025 remake of Naked Snake’s original adventure in Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.

That remake has since hit the shelves and has brought a lot of goodwill towards Konami, thanks to the manner in which it has managed to weave in modern touches to the title while retaining its iconic narrative and gameplay elements in a manner that brings both nostalgia and engagement in equal measures. Konami demonstrated an ability to understand exactly what clicked among its audiences, while remaining respectful of Kojima’s work – a factor that was especially challenging considering the acrimonious circumstances of the widely discussed split with the legendary director.

There’s more to come from the studio on the Metal Gear Solid front, which we’re going to get to in a moment. But there are other instances of the studio utilising the momentum of its past to chart a new course into its future. The release of Suikoden 1 & 2 Remastered for the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and also the Switch 2 is a showcase of intelligent use of its IPs to regain its standing in the modern gaming landscape.

There was also Silent Hill: The Short Message, a PS5 exclusive that saw the studio bring a very insightful take on cyberbullying that made waves with younger gamers thanks to the manner in which its content resonated with them. It was a showcase of the studio’s ability to play to its strengths and come up with titles that spoke to its audiences, a trait that has had quite a significant part in its shot at redemption.

The Short Message was good enough to be considered among the better titles that populate the Silent Hill franchise, and did just about enough to make it stand on its own two legs through a few bold moves from Konami. One of them was the decision to move the game away from Silent Hill, and another was the decision to do away with a combat system. It allowed for an experience that was both narratively grounded and allowed Konami to attempt a few creative flourishes with the formula.

While they may not have been as well-received as the studio had hoped, the fact that the studio was able to recapture what was great about the Silent Hill formula had many in the gaming world excited for what it would bring to the table in future instalments.

That success was soon followed by the 2024 remake of Silent Hill 2, which saw the studio collaborate with The Bloober Team for a remake that was very well-received by both players and critics alike. It showed the studio’s ability to work with external partners, something it had drawn a lot of flak for during its troubled times. Like Delta, this title also retained everything that was great about the original release while implementing changes that have earned it a place among the best of the current generation of games.

All of these wins brought success, confidence, and valuable lessons to the studio. And it seems that Konami has taken those lessons to heart and is now ready to usher in a new age of dominance in modern gaming. Which brings us to Silent Hill f.

Course Corrections

It’s no secret that Silent Hill f has struck a chord with us, and the gaming world at large since its release earlier this week. But that’s no coincidence, and is a reflection of how far Konami has managed to come since the setbacks of its turbulent phase. Choosing to collaborate with NeoBards Entertainment, early previews of the game were concerned about Soulslike influences making radical changes to the franchise’s beloved formula.

However, those concerns have since been rendered unfounded, as the new combat system actually made things all the more immersive. Konami made bold choices for the game that have paid dividends. Like The Short Message, the new setting of Ebisugaoka and the integration of Japanese mythology into the mix have showcased the studio’s ability to bring ambitious touches to existing IPs that work well. I couldn’t help but wonder if The Short Message was a sort of test to see what the response to a new setting would be like.

Silent Hill f’s examination of agency through the lens of Hinako’s adventure is a perfect recreation of what made the franchise great in the first place, and Konami has proven that it’s well and truly back to doing what it has done best in the past. And it looks like the beloved studio is just getting started.

For instance, while everyone knew that it was going to continue remaking Metal Gear Solid games after the success of Delta, the studio’s attempts to reach out to the franchise’s fanbase and see which of its titles they would like to see remade next is quite a clever move in my book. It showcases that the studio knows just how much its fans love the Metal Gear franchise, and is dedicated to earning more of their goodwill as it charts a course into the future. Oh, and let’s not forget that Master Collection Vol. 2 is on the way and is sure to garner a lot of interest from new players who’ve played Delta and now know what the fuss is all about.

There’s also the remake of Silent Hill 1 on the cards, which could once again allow the studio to bring a faithful yet modernised recreation of a great title from its past to a new generation of gamers who are sure to be quite interested in it thanks to the success of Silent Hill f. And I’d be remiss not to mention Silent Hill: Townfall, a title that has me quite excited thanks to it being the beginning of a kind of anthology, which is a great idea in my book.

That’s because it’s going to allow Konami to work with some very creative teams and continue bringing inspired touches to a very successful formula. It could allow Silent Hill to feel very familiar yet fresh every time there’s a new addition to the franchise’s ranks. No Code (or Screen Burn as we now know them) is sure to put a unique stamp on the experience they are building, after all. It has me quite curious to see which studiOS Konami would choose to work with next.

A Bright Future Ahead

Konami’s redemption arc has me quite excited for how the studio is going to sustain its current success. It has clearly learned to balance its creative vision against innovative ideas coming in from those it chooses to partner with, a limitation that has hindered its progress in the past.

It remains dedicated to its fans, staying true to what they would expect from new additions to beloved franchises, while its remakes ensure that they recapture the magic of what made them great in the first place.

It has demonstrated that it’s not afraid to shake things up a bit, making its new games resonate even better with their audiences as a result. Its resilience and bravery have allowed it to claw its way back into the spotlight of modern gaming, allowing it to reclaim its place on a global stage that I was worried it was on the verge of exiting without a hint of the grace that brought it there in the first place.

I remain optimistic that Konami is going to go from strength to strength in what could be a very exciting future for the studio. And that has me excited, not just because I get to play more great titles, but also because this is a success story that could very well inspire others to achieve similar heights.

I appreciate the presence in gaming that has, and probably will, continue to be among the medium’s finest.