Konami shuts down Los Angeles studio

Konami has closed its Los Angeles studio, taking with it 35 jobs.

“Konami has made the decision to close its Los Angeles Studio, effective immediately, due to the product development resources being restructured into a more centralized unit,” Konami said in a statement (via Polygon).

“This facility contributed to the recent Metal Gear Solid games. Konami will continue its operations to support all Metal Gear Solid titles, including the recently launched Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and Metal Gear Online. Metal Gear Online is still scheduled to release for PC Steam in January 2016.”

Once known as Kojima Productions Los Angeles, and recently renamed Konami Los Angeles Studio, the developer was in charge of the latest iteratino of Metal Gear Online, which is included with every copy of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.

Reports of the studio’s closure first surfaced via Twitter last night from Sony Computer Entertainment America senior producer “Venice Beach Gandalf” and 3D Realms and Apogee co-founder George Broussard.