In the wake of rumors that Konami was planning to mostly exit the AAA console gaming space, a community manager at the company now says "don't believe everything you read in the press." UK community manager Graham Day claims in a new interview that things have been "taken out of context" and also stresses that the Metal Gear Solid franchise can continue, even if Hideo Kojima is not a part of it.

In an interview with Game On Daily (via Videogamer) about Kojima's rumored departure from Konami, Day was asked directly if the Metal Gear Solid series can live on without Kojima. He replied: "Yeah, course it can. Metal Gear is about the story, it's about the characters..."

The interviewer then jumps in to say that Metal Gear Solid is Kojima's "baby" and that it would be tough for someone new to come in and steer the ship. Day cited Metal Gear Rising as an example of a third-party development team (Platinum Games) working on the franchise without direct, daily involvement from Kojima.

"That was an example of the title being taken in a new direction by separate teams with obviously hands-in from other parties," he explained. "And that was in itself a very, very good game as well, and that was obviously led by a completely different team."

Regarding Konami's rumored exit from AAA gaming (a report claimed Konami would cease development on all AAA projects outside of the PES series), Day said, "Don't believe everything you read in the press." Konami's commitment to console gaming has "never changed," he claimed.

"Things have been taken out of context but that's never changed," he explained. "Just because mobile gaming has been embraced, that doesn't mean everything else has to quit. Konami has a history of making the best games around and that is something that will continue. That won't change anything going forward. So people should believe in Konami, and if I was to use a tagline, PES 2016's tagline is 'Love the past, play the future.' And that is there for a reason. The future isn't ending now. The future has a long, long way."