End of an Era: 15 Great IPs That Will Die Along With Konami

When Konami said that it's going to focus on mobile moving into the future, it meant it. The days of AAA titles from the company are over, and it's dealt a devastating blow to the industry as a result.

Along with its focus redirected to arcades and mobile, more than three dozen IPs have their future put in question. Most are likely to disappear from existence, while others may be stumbled upon in a casino. With so many great IPs in its library, Konami's new vision is one that comes at a great cost to the years of gaming to come.

In the gallery below you'll find 15 of the great IPs that Konami built, some of which may never be seen again.

15 Great IPs That Will Die Along With Konami

Bomberman

First Release: Bomberman (1983)
rnGenre: Action
rn
rnKonami acquired the Bomberman IP when it absorbed Hudson Soft in 2012. Known for its frantic gameplay, it's had more than 70 releases during the past three decades, becoming one of the most iconic IPs in gaming along the way.
Castlevania

First Release: Castlevania (1986)
rnGenre: Action-Adventure
rn
rnCastlevania has lived a long and prosperous life with over 40 releases. Its vampire themes and excellent level design have made it one of the most prominent IPs in the industry.
Contra

First Release: Contra (1987)
rnGenre: Run and Gun
rn
rnContra has earned a reputation for exciting gameplay that drives players to endure its grueling difficulty. It hasn't had much success in the modern era, but is considered one of the greats of the late 80's.
Dance Dance Revolution

First Release: Dance Dance Revolution (1998)
rnGenre: Rhythm
rn
rnIn the late 90's arcades began to struggle, and then Dance Dance Revolution hit the market. Young adults swarmed local arcades to dance off with their friends. Soon, they were able to enjoy the rhythmic competition from their home with console releases.
Frogger

First Release: Frogger (1981)
rnGenre: Action
rn
rnFrogger is one of many examples of simplicity triumphing over complex game design. It was a smash hit on its original release, with the series eventually selling over 20 million copies worldwide.
Gradius

First Release: Gradius (1985)
rnGenre: Scrolling shooter
rn
rnThe 80's were rich with sci-fi games, few bearing more significance than Gradius. Its thrilling gameplay stands the test of time, with modern titles such a Resogun taking influence from the Konami classic.
Metal Gear

First Release: Metal Gear (1987)
rnGenre: Stealth action-adventure
rn
rnFew franchises ever have the opportunity to become as big as Metal Gear. Regarded by many as one of the greatest franchises in gaming, it has survived five gaming generation transitions, consistently performing well critically and financially. It stood at over 41 million copies sold prior to this month's release of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain making it one of the 25 best-selling series in the world.
Ganbare Goemon

First Release: Mr. Goemon
rnGenre: Action
rn
rnAlthough not particularly well-known outside of Japan, Ganbare Goemon has a legacy spanning almost 30 years. Its anime and manage presence has made it a popular title in the region.
Policenauts

First Release: Policenauts (1994)
rnGenre: Visual novel
rn
rnAlthough Hideo Kojima is most known for his work on Metal Gear, Policenauts was his first major success. The visual novel was extremely well regarded during its time, deviating from the popular genres of the time and delivering a compelling narrative that made it stand out.
Road Fighter

First Release: Road Fighter (1984)
rnGenre: Racing
rn
rnRoad Fighter found a solution to those who wanted to experience the thrill of driving down a road during the 8-bit era. Its exciting gameplay resulted in a port to mobile in 2005 that sold well in Japan.
Sparkster/Rocket Knight

First Release: Sparkster (1994)
rnGenre: Platformer
rn
rnSparkster was one of Konami's greatest successes on the SNES due to its more action oriented approach to the platformer genre. It would later transition to a new design methodology with the Rocket Knight moniker, which recently performed well on Xbox 360 in 2010.
Suikoden

First Release: Suikoden (1995)
rnGenre: Japanese Role Playing
rn
rnFor fans of JRPGs Suikoden holds a special place in the heart. Its massive cast of characters and epic narratives have made it stand out in a genre oversaturated during the period.
Sunset Riders

First Release: Sunset Riders (1991)
rnGenre: Run and gun
rn
rnAlthough Sunset Riders has had only one release, its highly enjoyable co-operative gameplay made it one of the best arcade titles of 1991. With co-operative games becoming increasingly rare in today's age, it had potential to fit an important place in the living room.
Zone of the Enders

First Release: Zone of the Enders (2001)
rnGenre: Hack and slash
rn
rnZone of the Enders is yet another creation of Hideo Kojima that resonated well. Featuring bipedal robots armed with melee and ranged weaponry, its high-speed hack and slash gameplay delivered a style unique to the period.
Silent Hill

First Release: Silent Hill (1999)
rnGenre: Survival horror
rn
rnNext to Resident Evil, there is no larger survival horror franchise than Silent Hill. It has earned a reputation for delivering bone-chilling psychological horror that makes a strong impression on the player. It's had more than 10 releases, with recent titles falling off in critical reception and sales. A revival called Silent Hills began conceptualization in 2014 with Hideo Kojima and Guillermo Del Toro at the helm, but was later canceled by Konami.