The Metal Gear franchise can continue without Hideo Kojima at its helm, Konami's senior UK community manager Graham Day has said, before dismissing reports claiming that the company is to pull out of AAA console development.
Speaking to Game On Daily about Kojima's alleged exit from the company, Day explained that Konami had "said in the past previously that obviously the Metal Gear brand will continue".
"But can it continue without Kojima?" he is then asked directly.
"Yeah, course it can," Day says. "Metal Gear is about the story, it's about the characters and I think, yeah..."
"It's his baby, though," the interviewer interjects. "That's a lot of responsibility. Isn't that kind of daunting on the back of his departure?"
"Look at things like Metal Gear Rising," Day continues. "That was an example of the title being taken in a new direction by separate teams with obviously hands-in from other parties. And that was in itself a very, very good game as well, and that was obviously led by a completely different team."