I remember at least a year ago he was talking about trying to push the limit of what is acceptable for media in general, not just video games. It makes me think that the only way to get it published was Konami had to get rid of Kojima to censor it to an expectable level for shipping.

He eluded to child soldiers and torture quite a bit during one of his first press tours.

It would explain the seeming scorched earth policy Konami had towards Kojima and the advertising. It would makes sense that, Kojima seeing this as his last hooray, tried to go as far as possible.

Trying to push the barrier? Sure. Actively trying to get fired? Why would he do that?

Unless he has a contract he really wants to get out of, he's got no reason to get himself fired and possibly lose some benefits (I don't know the laws in Japan concerning unemployment)

If Konami wasn't happy with content in the game, we would've heard about it way earlier, not a few months away from release.

All I can think that happened is this:

Kojima: Let me do this.

Konami: Nah.

Kojima: Fine, I quit.

Konami: Oooook, cool. Peace out buddy no one cares.

INTERNET CARED, A LOT

Konami: Kojima, buddy, baby, come back to me huh?

Kojima: I never left, baby.

*SMOOCH*

@strife777: Well he wouldn't lose benefits if he was fired through their choice and not on his part (through misconduct or something similar). He would actually get a big payout, most likely. Quitting he loses too much, getting "dismissed," he keeps his reputation, gets a payout and gets to stop making MGS, which he's seems to have wanted for a while. Unless that was just a marketing technique. He has been known to be a little eccentric.

As for us hearing about it earlier, I don't think that is really true. Konami isn't really a videogame company. Just like Sony, which actually makes most its money through selling insurance. We only hear about them through the entertainment market. So it's probable that Konami wasn't paying attention until someone in marketing or PR when, "Uhhh, have you seen this?"

If this was an isolated occurrence, maybe. But when you look at all the Japanese majors, all the old legendary creative leads seem to be getting pushed out the door over the past decade...

My suspicion is that this is still happening and by this time next year Kojima will be elsewhere, but that Konami is wisely backpedaling at least PR wise (putting his name back on things etc) until MGS: V ships.