Despite rumors of popular Konami IPs in development, such as Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid, Konami's pachinko machine business is still in full effect. Recent reports reveal what its plans are for the machines going forward.
Previously, Konami remade assets for Metal Gear Solid 3 that produced updated cutscenes, which would have worked perfectly for a remake, but instead they were used for a pachinko machine. Those were dark days for fans of Metal Gear Solid, and according to recent reports it seems that Konami is pushing to expand its pachinko machine business.
For players that might not be aware, Japan prohibits most forms of gambling, and a pachinko machine is a kind of loophole that parlors have used in order to exploit that market for financial gain. The pachinko machine works similar to pinball; for Konami’s machine, if the customer wins it will play the next scene from the game. Konami has many forgotten gaming IPs, and has turned its bigger franchises into shadows of their former selves by utilizing its games in this way.
Based on the patent submitted and approved in the United States from December 2021, Konami is now trying to push its pachinko machines in the U.S. The description provided for manufacturers suggests that the theme is for the machines to show a popular game that attracts casino customers, so as they gamble and win the machines will play scenes from that favored video game, which entices those customers to invest more time and money.
Konami had canceled horror game PT from Hideo Kojima, the creator of Metal Gear Solid, just a year or so before the debut of the MGS3 pachinko machine, which alludes to the fact that Konami had been moving its assets away from video game platforms. However, Konami is reported to still be making video games, just not at the level that fans were accustomed to.
Only time will tell what Konami’s business direction will be for its video game IPs, although with rumors of a new Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid 3 remake in development, it is at least optimistic in assuming that Konami will be bringing these franchises back in a big way.