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It is a fine line when attempting to give a gamer the ability to make choices or decisions, and actually having those decisions or choices end with a satisfying payoff.  Some games will give you …

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Home » Industry

Akira Yamaoka Leaves Konami After 16 Years

Submitted by Vikki Blake on November 30, 2009 – 4:19 amComments

Akira_Yamaoka

Several weeks ago my contact at Konami Japan contacted me with some startling news. Now, at last, I’m finally able to exclusively reveal that – after sixteen years at the company – Akira Yamaoka has left Konami.

It would appear that he has left the company entirely rather than moving to another international division. As you would expect, there has been no formal confirmation from Konami, so right now this is an unconfirmed rumour – albeit one generated from a pretty reliable source.

To date there’s no news yet as to what Yamaoka plans to do next. Since leaving Konami he has been in the States and is now currently in Europe, seemingly on vacation.

You might wonder why I’m writing this, but trust me – in many regards, Yamaoka is Silent Hill. I’m intrigued as to how Konami will proceed as I – and no doubt many others – find it very hard to envisage any Silent Hill game without Yamaoka’s trademark sound. I like to think that I have an open mind, but if this turns out to be true, this is sad news indeed.

Update 02/12 – a contact at Konami USA has confirmed that the story is “not wrong”, so it’s definitely not a hoax.

  • broheim
    I hope he's not retiring. It would be a shame if such a brilliant mind were to do so.

    I am curious as to how this will turn out as well.
  • Nooooo! OMG, Akira is as much the reason I enjoy SH as the game itself!
  • whatthi
    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    first the original Silent team leaves (and creates Siren games)
    now this??!!
    why?!why?!oh Akira your the only integrity the franchise has left, it hasnt been so peachy since it has been given to western producers/developers...NOOO!!!

    do i get an award or something for my acting?
  • Shin
    This reminds me of when Nobuo Uematsu kinda left Square. At least I think he did...I know he doesn't really compose music for Final Fantasy anymore so yea >>.
  • I'm curious as to how this will affect IIDX, if they will license him as an independent artist. I've never played Silent Hill, but I love all his work in IIDX. Whatever he decides to do, I wish him the best of luck and success.
  • yamakuzy
    I don't think Yamaokas efforts have been all that stellar as of late. Creating similar sounds and music shouldn't be too big of a problem. The series pretty much died after Silent Hill 2 anyway.
  • Cthulhu
    I liked the music more than the rest of the game, and I know I'm not alone. He will be missed.
  • I don't quite understand why the internet has exploded, suggesting it's the end of the series. Silent Hill will be a very different place without Yamaoka's soundscape, admittedly, but if SHSM is a fraction as good as it appears to be, I still think that the best is potentially yet to come.

    I hope he continues to be hired/consulted to do the sound direction for SH, but it's not the end of the world as we know it if he doesn't.
  • Patini Yamaoka
    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
    I love akira yamaoka and his music!! his one of the best musician in the games factory no no!!!!

    im sad T_T
  • Gman
    I must say, I'm sad, but frankly, Silent Hill needs to end. Some other franchise needs to come up in it's place, equally scary and cerebral.

    In reality, though, I just want an extension pack to Silent Hill 2, and maybe one for 3. In fact, Konami should get everyone together and just release new stuff on the same old engines with exactly the same feel. Honestly, SH2 was so perfect that I just want to forget all of it so I can play it again without knowledge of what is going to happen. Same goes for SH3.
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