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Reaction to Silent Hills’ cancellation is just as scary as the games are.
Fans of the Silent Hill horror franchise are always a passionate bunch, but they’ve been especially fired up over the latest game, Silent Hills, a collaboration between famed game designer Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear series) and horror filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro. But the passion for this project shifted to worry as news of Kojima’s split with Konami spread in recent weeks, and the removal of the playable teaser for the game from the PlayStation Store and Xbox Live didn’t help.
Fan worry shifted to full-on anger with the official cancellation of the game this week. Konami said it would continue on with the Silent Hill series, but “the embryonic Silent Hills project developed with Guillermo del Toro and featuring the likeness of Norman Reedus will not be continued.”
Now Konami’s social channels are on fire. While the company tries to continue business as usual on channels such as Twitter and Facebook, nearly every message sees angry responses relating to Silent Hills. Here’s a particularly harsh example from this morning, from Konami’s Twitter feed.
This fan also noticed the trend.
It's reassuring that even in its most dire times, @Konami's social media never misses a beat, sharing fanart and stuff like nothing's wrong.
— Exy (@TheExcel) April 29, 2015
Silent Hill followers are just as upset about the pulling of P.T. from digital channels as they are the game’s cancelation. It could have stood on its own as a playable experience, even without the game ever coming to light, many said.
@Konami P.T. was a most a beautiful horror. Perspectives crystallized into atmosphere and dread at its most perfect. Don't be Foolish.
— Christopher Means (@ChrisTMeans) April 29, 2015
I honestly believe that getting rid of P.T. from PSN is an even bigger mistake than canning Silent Hills @Konami
— Steven Narey (@Senator_Cthulu) April 29, 2015
@Konami @InstallBase Celebrating Golden Week by removing most popular horror game #PT from PSN. #BoycottKonami #AHideoKojimaGame
— TheComboBreaker (@TheComboBreaker) April 29, 2015
@Konami it's one thing to cancel such an anticipated game, it's another to remove the playable trailer. You can't just act like it never was
— Kiri (@KiriMaria) April 29, 2015
In case @Konami needed proof of its poor judgement. PT is one of the biggest #VideoGame phenomena of the year. https://t.co/RtZDIWrjVm
— Ivan Girina (@IvanSSDTJ) April 29, 2015
@Konami you guys are making a big mistake on the cancelation of silent hills. Over a million downloaded it and you pull the game? Poor form
— Kevin Ortiz (@KOrtiz42) April 29, 2015
But most of the anger remains directed at the cancellation of Silent Hills. Messages like the following hit Konami’s channel every few minutes, nonstop.
@Konami No Silent Hills, Konami? You guys crazy??
— Sidney Carton (@TheCobbBuddy) April 29, 2015
@Konami silent hills looked amazing it sucks its cancelled everyone loved pt
— zagan hall (@zaganh) April 29, 2015
@Konami Why would you cancel it? I will can't understand why…
— Lost Child/BernardoJ (@ForgottenAng3l) April 29, 2015
Kojima has a large, dedicated following. Having the creator of the famed Metal Gear series head up the Silent Hill franchise was a dream come true for series devotees. Now fans are just as mad about rumors of his departure from Konami as they are about the cancellation of his game. While Kojima continues work on Metal Gear Solid V at Konami, his future is unsure.
@Konami Turn your back on Kojima, I turn my back on you.
— citizencake (@thecitizencake) April 29, 2015
I know I'm late, but @Konami you have seriously screwed up firing @Kojima_Hideo #seriouslyDisappointed
— Jose Alonso Chimpa (@JAlonsoLopez) April 29, 2015
@Konami @Kojima_Hideo No respect for you Konami – I hope Kojima continues making awesome games long after he leaves #SilentHills #MetalGear
— Mark Wells (@MarkWells91) April 29, 2015
@Konami 's CEO should get #fired ! He is tanking the company, firing @Kojima_Hideo and cancelling #silenthills are the worst decisions ever!
— Ricardo F. (@z1417) April 29, 2015
It just might as well be all over for the company in many fans’ eyes.
Rest In Peace @Konami
— García (@Hugogarcia09) April 29, 2015
Many Silent Hill fans have taken to imagery to get their feelings across.
https://twitter.com/_yasha/status/593405613629014017
@Konami pic.twitter.com/KvxSClegJe
— Paul (@Chicagopaul2010) April 29, 2015
@Konami Jajajajaja It's awesome. You're going to break jeje pic.twitter.com/cE3JDzUbr4
— EduPrendo (@EduAA99) April 29, 2015
@Konami #BoycottKonami #SilentHills #AHIDEOKOJIMAGAME @Kojima_Hideo pic.twitter.com/w0M5eQwtFA
— Zee Palacios (@mrzeeman321) April 26, 2015
@Konami pic.twitter.com/MhNriqPYE3
— KevinKindaFunnyBacon (@KevinKFBacon) April 29, 2015
@Konami pic.twitter.com/9jUbPX7FoQ
— Rolling Thunder (@wheels_mj) April 29, 2015
@Konami I Hate you pic.twitter.com/rywPPbNilI
— Nelly Flores D (@NellyFD) April 28, 2015
@Konami me parece vergonzosa vuestra actitud. Me sumo a los fuck You de arriba y añado "que te jodan traidora" pic.twitter.com/RnBh082RKJ
— alvaro (@suikoden790) April 28, 2015
Not all of the images are harsh or negative. This one is kind of nice. It plays on the company’s famous “Konami code” to give the company a few extra chances.
Here ya go @Konami, I gave you some extra lives. Make it count. pic.twitter.com/ueX5fN6uay
— Michael Ryan (@cloudpopgames) April 29, 2015
And this one really hits home.
There is a hole on my collection and it's all your fault @Konami #konami #silenthill #SilentHills #pt pic.twitter.com/yeXh46bmN9
— Faris (@huntertt93) April 29, 2015
Going forward, Konami has Metal Gear Solid V to promote and release. But fans are so mad about Silent Hills that they say they’re going to pass on Metal Gear.
@Konami I was gonna get #MGSV but the absolute buffoonery that is your company now has me convinced that I should save my money. Well done.
— Iain (@ItsMrWats0n) April 29, 2015
While Metal Gear Solid V was to be a major focus for the company at this year’s E3 Expo, fans envision the upcoming event a bit differently for Konami.
I guess for @Konami E3 booth you pay 20$ for Konami reps to punch you in the face. For an extra 5$ you get the "cattle prod" DLC
— spookycookies (@spookyhills) April 29, 2015
Finally, I’m with this guy:
think we should all pour one out to whoever is task to run @konami account. They definitely need a few drinks.
— Deep Fried (@ChickenDig) April 28, 2015
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