The biggest surprise of The Game Awards 2015 wasn't an award or reveal. It was Geoff Keighley standing up for Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain won the award for best action/adventure game tonight. Accepting on behalf of Hideo Kojima was Big Boss voice actor Kiefer Sutherland. The reason? Kojima was not able to attend.

Following the presentation of the award, host and producer Geoff Keighley bluntly revealed that Kojima was legally prohibited by Metal Gear's publisher from making the trip .

"As you noticed Hideo Kojima is not here tonight," Keighley said. "Mr. Kojima had every intention of being here, but unfortunately he was informed by a lawyer representing Konami that he would not be allowed to travel to tonight’s award ceremony to accept any awards. He’s still under employment and contract and it’s disappointing. It’s inconceivable to me that an artist like Hideo Kojima would not be allowed to come here and celebrate with his peers and his fellow teammates."

In one fell swoop, Keighley confirmed the rumors swirling for months around the Konami/Kojima relationship. Kojima is still under Konami's employ, and things are not well in the relationship.

We've reached out to Konami for comment and will update should we receive a response.