All Hope Is Lost - Akira Yamaoka Leaves Konami

[randomwab]

It seems the Silent Hill series is officially dead with the rumoured departure of the last remaining member of Team Silent still involved in the series, Akira Yamaoka. What a mouthful.

Akira Yamaoka has been one of the key members of the series since the beginning; having composed each titles soundtrack as well as stepping in as producer on the last few titles. For many, the background music which he created is one of the defining traits of the series, adding layers to the already thick atmosphere and falling hand in hand with the visual design like no other.

For some, this will mean little more than the cries of some Japanophile elitests, but to those Japanophile elitests (myself included), this is the last nail in the coffin for a series going under. Yamaoka's input has been a hallmark of Silent Hill as a whole, and without him, the series will surely never be the same again.

If you're not already, you should probably be listening to track 15 from the Silent Hill 2 Soundtrack with a tear in your eye. Pour one out for Silent Hill as we knew it folks, she's dead.

Thanks to Vikki Blake at Aeropause for breaking the news (and my heart).

[himher_elle]

I wouldn't normally believe a franchise is dead onlly because a member of the development team (in this case, the "music team") has gone, but for Silent Hill... it was almost the onlly thing left that made the series still good. I liked SH: Homecoming, the music was great, maybe the story wasn't, but atmosphere and MUUSIC, were great. I hope who replaces him can do as good as a job as Akira did

[BadWolfX]

This is the final nail in the Silent Hill coffin.

[Gradon]

My life is ruined.

[Canas Renvall]

I just read this in Intro to Programming right now... and I had to stop myself from jumping out of my chair and throwing myself onto the nearest sharpened pencil.

What has this world come to...

*listens to Laura Plays the Piano and Hometown and weeps in a dark corner, muttering random quotes about death and the unholy*

[Mr_Zombie]

Noooooooooooooooooooo!!!



Akira's music (and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn's songs) was the prime reason why I waited for next Silent Hill games, because even if the game sucks, the soundtrack was at the very least good. And now, it's gone...

So it seems there's no reason to wait for another SH (if there's gonna be another Silent Hill game after Shattered Memories); the franchise is dead :/.

[The Dude]

Tenner says he'll still do the music but as an outsourced contract should there be a sequel in the same freelancer role as Uematsu is for Square Enix *with FFXIV doing the full soundtrack despite not being an employee*

EDIT: As great as his music was, I seriously hope some of you are being sarcastic about being sad over this announcement when most composers to begin with are freelance, its shocking that he stayed with Konami for as long as he did.

[LeechCharmer]

I'm glad I got the chance to see him live when that photo was taken and shake his hand. What a talented man, Silent Hill is nothing without him.

[riderkid]

i tihnk he'll be back, like dude says he's only leaving capcom, he never said he would not work on silent hill anymore.

[himher_elle]

Originally Posted by riderkid i tihnk he'll be back, like dude says he's only leaving capcom, he never said he would not work on silent hill anymore.

sorry, but i had to point this ou: *KONAMI, not CAPCOM

[[STARS]TyranT]

Originally Posted by himher_elle sorry, but i had to point this ou: *KONAMI, not CAPCOM

It's a pretty dark day for Silent Hill for sure, I know the series was on a decline, but like many have said at least it has the music and general atmosphere.

I can't see him coming back to the series, even on a contract, personally.

[BrionIrons]

This reminds me of when Mikami left Capcom.The only difference is Capcom screwed him when they released RE4 to PS2 when Mikami already stated RE4 was a nintendo exclusive.what a shame.

[The Dude]

Well there was no real contractual stipulation saying RE4 was GC exclusive if memory serves, no doubt some fanboy/girl will put me straight there, I figured it was wounded pride/arrogance behind Mikami complaining of being butt hurt by capcom porting RE4 over and leaving.

Yamaoka leaving Konami to me is a really good thing, least he can ply his trade elsewhere and not be tied to any single franchise now.

[djepic112]

Shame, shame, shame. The music of Silent Hill has been one of it's strongest backbone. I'm glad that he worked on the upcoming Silent Hill game though. I'm excited to play that and hear the music.

[Smiley]

Oh no, life isn't worth living. Say it ain't so. Tell me it's not true!

...

Wait a second. Maybe I shouldn't fall by my own sword just yet. I mean...the music man is finally free.

And it's not as though the Silent Hill series needed to go on another 5 or 10 games just to be hated on regardless.

And with the series already going into re-imagining/reboot territory....well......

I can't say I should feel so upset and heartbroken. If the series continues without him, for better or wore, so be it. There's still the timeless games in my library right now to remind me of his work and how well it made those games.

So I'll off myself another day....maybe when Kojima leaves the MGS series...

[rewak]

And whats stopping him from continuing to make music for the series? It's not like the series is even being made by Konami anymore

[Rombie]

It was bound to happen. I expect he'll still have musical and some sort of input into the Silent Hill movie sequel (why skip a paying job you've done once already) and will likely come back and produce future title soundtracks.

Personally I think this is a good thing. His work as a producer was possibly a questionable move when he moved into that position, something which seemed mainly because he was the only remaining staff member to have worked on all of the titles once Ito left. And thus his input I'm unsure of as the majority of titles since have been made outside of Japan. His music was still more key than potential appearance on production values.

I guess he was waiting until Silent Hill Shattered Memories was basically completed before leaving the company.

[randomwab]

I just want his follow up to iFuturelist already.

[Dot50Cal]

Without his music, the series just won't be the same. He's become the front man for the series. What a sad day.

[zounds]

I don't think all hope is lost, this is just the end of Silent Hill as it once was. Konami can make Silent Hill into something more, it can grow greater if the effort is put into it. The problem is that we are looking too much at the past Silent Hill games for what the blueprint of the future titles should be. It's time for Silent Hill to grow up, and I think this will be a good kickstart to drastic change, if Konami should continue to persue the franchise.

Yamaoka will be greatly missed, however.