The latest in a long line of strange bits of Metal Gear Solid V development news, comes a look at the latest version of the game's box art. At a glance it may look identical to what we've seen so far, but it comes with a few subtle and notable changes. First up, the text that reads 'A Hideo Kojima Game' has been removed. Secondly, what looks like the deliberate removal of the Kojima Productions logo.



As posted on NeoGAF, this change comes after recent claims that Kojima Productions has been disbanded.

Although full details about the whole Kojima and Konami rift that has been slowly developing this year are still a little scarce, it became a matter of concern for many once the Kojima-led Silent Hill game for the PS4 was cancelled. Which strangely led to Konami removing the legendary designer's name from any and all Metal Gear Solid art from its website.

In response, Kojima reiterated his involvement in the development of the latest Metal Gear Solid and his commitment to the project. Which helped alleviate rumours that he had been let go or was not directly involved in the game's final push for release.

It's hard to say exactly why it looks like there is now a clear rift between Kojima Productions and Konami, and this latest development adds a hefty dose of credence to the recent rumour that Kojima Productions has been quietly disbanded. For Konami it may seem that a complete shift away from big budget games and a new focus on mobile development may be the future for the company, news of which has been circulating for a while now. Even so, Konami has rejected any claims that it would no longer work on titles Like Metal Gear Solid in the future.

Either way, it's a strange turn of events for a game that looks to be the most ambitious project yet for the legendary Japanese developer.