Konami’s president just pushed back on the idea that generative AI will reshape game development. Hideki Hayakawa said the technology won’t bring significant change to the market. Entry barriers already dropped with modern engines and UGC, and even if AI improves efficiency, “the most important factors in producing entertaining and innovative video games are people and creators.” He specifically called out the “chemical reaction” that happens when developers from different backgrounds work together. He doesn’t believe that can be easily replaced. It’s a notably grounded take from a major publisher while a lot of the industry is racing the other direction.

Konami is dropping a massive emergency ban list for Yu-Gi-Oh! The new list will have 34 newly Forbidden cards and 8 Limited cards, revealed during YCS Houston. The move comes as the current meta has become extremely fast and repetitive, with powerful “Pile” decks able to build huge boards from very few cards.

Konami president Hideki Hayakawa doesn’t think AI is going to completely change the video game industry. He says AI could make development faster and more efficient, but people are still the most important part of creating good games. “The most important factors in producing entertaining and innovative video games are people and creators.” Hayakawa also believes that having devs with different backgrounds and ideas is what helps create something new. “That kind of chemical reaction is not something that can be easily replaced.” Konami is interested in using AI, but Hayakawa doesn’t see it replacing the creativity and ideas that come from human devs

Konami’s 40th anniversary trailer just flashed Lament of Innocence, Curse of Darkness, and Lords of Shadow next to Belmont’s Curse. That’s 1:22. Those three still aren’t on modern consoles. All 3D. PS2, PS2, MercurySteam 2010. N64 and Lords of Shadow 2 didn’t show up. Anniversary, Advance, and Dominus already covered the 2D stuff. Original Castlevania is free on mobile for a limited time. Belmont’s Curse hits next month.

Konami has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to find the person or people responsible for leaking the source code of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. The leak included source code for several versions of the game and were first shared on 4chan, with download links hosted on Pixeldrain and Buzzheavier. Before filing the lawsuit, Konami sent cease-and-desist notices to the file-hosting websites, and the files were removed. The lawsuit, filed on June 2, 2026, does not name any suspects. Instead, it refers to them as unknown "John/Jane Does" and asks the court to order the websites to provide information such as account details and IP addresses that could help identify whoever uploaded the files.

Good to know that Konami is not letting Silent Hill go. Series producer Motoi Okamoto told Famitsu that now the "first wave" is out (the Silent Hill 2 remake, Silent Hill f and Townfall), the team has to "consider the second and third waves." He says they're "looking at a number of projects." Three games in three years after a long stretch of nothing. What a turnaround. I'm hyped, but a little worried too. Horror needs time to stay scary, and a game every year can start feeling like an assembly line. I think a Silent Hill 1 remake is in that second wave. What do you want to see next?