10 Exact Moments That Killed Video Game Franchises

2. Hideo Kojima Leaves Konami - Metal Gear Solid

Rare is the studio that can continue a franchise known for a particular developer's signature elements, but impossible is the task of mimicking Hideo Kojima's mind.

For almost 30 years, Kojima-san had driven the Metal Gear Solid series, making zero compromises to his whacky, ever-experimental and largely-improvised-with-each-instalment vision, the end result being a diehard fandom, pop culture recognition and endless love for each end product.

Come the time of MGS 5's release cycle then, we started finding out about how he and Konami's top brass could no longer see eye to eye on the game's mechanics and scope, when Konami themselves were more interested in gambling software, pachinko machines and sports equipment.

It was an ugly back and forth for a few months, comprising reports of workers being demoted to janitor duty while under constant surveillance, until Kojima and his team finally freed themselves of their contractual obligations, and fled to the warm embrace of Sony PlayStation.

Kojima Productions was kept as a name, Death Stranding was born, and he's never looked back.

Metal Gear Solid though? That was turned into a zombie survival sim, but it didn't even sell enough units to chart in the UK.