When Konami first shared the multitude of screenshots from its upcoming game Hyper Sports R back in 2018, it's fair to say that it didn't generate too much interest. The cartooney character models in this sports sim did seem a bit unusual, and perhaps this upcoming Switch exclusive was never going to capture the imagination of gamers, unlike Nintendo's Wii Sports.
For whatever reason, the beancounters over at Konami have decided to pull the plug on this nostalgic sports sim reboot.
Here's a translated statement from their Japanese website:
Notice of discontinuation of development of "Hyper Sport R"
Thank you for your continued patronage of our products. The Nintendo Switch version of "Hyper Sport R" has been under development since the title was announced in June 2018, but as a result of repeated examinations, development was discontinued.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to customers and related parties who have been waiting for the release of this title. We look forward to your continued support and products.
So the dream is over, but we have Arcade Archives Hyper Sports on Switch now, so maybe we aren't doing too badly. Now can we get another Gradius or Castlevania game please, Konami?
[source nintendo-insider.com]
Comments 52
This might have worked, if Konami had any decent developers left.
Hurry up and revive Wii Sports, Nintendo.
Years ago Konami had an excellent track and field game on the N64 Called "International Track and Field 2000" or "International Track and Field Summer Games" here in europe..
It played great with good graphics and great control's. I remember the Weightlifting and Javelin being my favourite event's, the 100 Metres Swim was also fun..
This game didn't seem up to the same standard from what I saw, nonetheless it would have been interesting to see how it turned out..
I'll second the call for another Castlevania collection with RoB, SotN, and the GBA titles. (Not sure how the DS ones would work on Switch.)
Metal Gear with Kojima or I don't care, Konami.
I wasn't even looking forward to this game, but I feel disappointed, none the less. I really want more Konami support on Switch. When I was a kid, Konami was only second to Nintendo for great games. I just want the Konami of old, but I guess that doesn't exist anymore. I would still settle for more old ports of their best games. How about some Metal Gear and more Castlevania?
I really liked Konami's International Track & Field on the PS1, so it's a shame they can't produce something of similar quality today.
Hyper Sports Rmygodthatlooksugly
Yeah, from the title to the animation that game needed work.
I really wish Athlete Kings from the Sega Saturn was remade though. I loved that so much and me and my friends wore out controllers spamming those buttons.
No inconvenience was caused.
At this point they may as well change their company name because the Konami we all knew and loved is no more, it seems.
Guessing they felt no need for some Hyper Olympics without the real Olympics.
(the T&F games were often sold as off-brand (no license) Olympic games. Maybe once or twice they did get the license? Like Nagano.
Seems like the NES T&F games had a weird release in PAL regions. They got the second game first, and then the first game as competition to Capcom's newer licensed game.)
Metal Gear Legacy Collection or GTFO Konami...
Konami is no longer capable of making good videogames. They even failed at making a Contra game (Contra: Rogue Corps). All they had to do was make a game similar to the NES, SNES and SMD Contra games. Instead, they made a bad Commando-style game and named it Contra. And someone else made the Contra game we wanted (Blazing Chrome).
And instead of making a new Castlevania game, they released a useless Castlevania compilation, while someone else made two excellent Castlevania games (Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night and Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon).
Maybe (if we're lucky) they discovered Nintendo was working on a new Wii Sports for the Switch (I guess it would be called Switch Sports then?) and figured they wouldn't stand a chance? Just wishful thinking. But I would love a Wii Sports sequel on the Switch
Do Konami even make games anymore?
Just give us another Bomberman or Metal Gear Rising please.
Oh well 🤷🏻♂️
Konami, give us a new Suikoden or release a Suikoden collection. Otherwise, get bent.
I don't know, guys. From the trailer it didn't look terrible? That coming from someone who doesn't enjoy "real world sports" as video games.
On a different note, does anybody remember Metal Warriors on the SNES by Konami? I loved that game
Anyone missing out on this though, don't worry. It will be released early 2021 as a pachinko in Japan. For running you push many coins in the machine at the same speed you mashed buttons
whats the problem they realized the shovel ware market has dried up after the wii era
I can’t believe anybody was actively anticipating that. Eww.
@TheWingedAvenger Talented people left Konami years ago. When Kojima wanted to get all the workforce of the company to work on his high budget Metal Gear games and outsource to external development teams their other IP such as Silent Hill or Castlevania. It's the high budget AAA model pushed by Sony that killed Konami. They should have focused on more varied middle budget projects if they wanted to survive.
They game didn't look that bad, is kinda a shame it got cancelled, but oh well... water under the bridge, i guess...
Konami assumed that people will get interested in these sports because of the Tokyo Olympics. Since the Olympics was cancelled they had to cancel the game too!
I guess Konami didn't want a repeat of Contra: Rogue Corps and if that's the case, I commend them, something nobody has said since they cancelled Silent Hills.
Konami isn't even releasing a new Winning Eleven/PES Football game this year, so one has to wonder what the gaming portion of that company is even doing right now...
@glaemay Kojami wasted so much of Sony’s money. His games don’t sell enough considering how much money he wastes. Sony will soon find out why Konami easily let him go.
They have a year to regroup. I was really looking forward to this.
I would much rather have the Sega Saturn classic - Athlete Kings, such a fantastic single or multi-player game! Sega Ages please take note...
Can we have more games in general Konami?
I.... didn't even know this was a thing
@NoTinderLife
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics got delayed, not cancelled.
No great loss. If this plays anything like the classic Hyper Sports games, then the JoyCon's feeble thumb sticks wouldn't even be able to deal with it anyways...
@mesome713
Would you mind expanding on that statement?
I'm a little confused with what you mean by the Sony/Kojami situation.
@mesome713 I heard Death Stranding made a profit in the long run.
I suppose it wasn't a killer hit but it wasn't bomb like everyone was thinking.
Sad. When I think of Konami now I think of a shed in a field, with an elderly programmer sitting hunched over his Amstrad and another pedalling furiously on an exercise bike keeping it powered on.
@BANJO i still play international track on field (ps1 version) on my arcade machine. Such good fun.
@ACNHislit Sony gave Kojami a bunch of money to help him start his own company after he was fired. Kojami is notorious for going way over budget. He's crazy about making his games look the best ever and even makes his own expensive engines to achieve it. He spends crazy money on actors too.
He also takes a very long time to create gsmes. He's a perfectionist. One probelm is his games never sell good. Konami had to cut MG5 cause he was taking too long and going way over budget.
Sony spent all that money on him. He made his own engine, hired a bunch of expensive people and released one game for PS4. Now hell need money to develop another engine for PS5. Which will have to come from Sony again cause his game didn't get him enough profits.
He's use to spending others money. But unless he hits big profits, he'll continue to bleed people dry. Big budget games have to sell in the 7-10 million range to make a OK profit.
@Elvie Death Stranding was a massive failure. It's been reported Sony was left with over 3 million copies sitting in warehouses. Sony has to use big discounts and even then couldn't game going.
https://gameworldobserver.com/2020/03/14/sony-reportedly-frustrated-death-stranding-sales-new-silent-hill-game-development/
The reasons Sony are pissed at Kojami is the exact same Konami was. Konami was right, Kojami was bleeding them dry. People hate on Konami, but now that Sony is fed up with Kojami, since being Sony, fans will turn on him quick.
His days are numbered, would even be a safe bet that he's done and will most likely quit video game development and do movies like he always wanted to do.
@Kidfunkadelic83 Yes I remember playing that version round a friends a few times, it was a great game!!
thats sad but better than a bad game. The graphics are meh and the track and field mechanics are getting old... (i remember playing it in acade using lighters or coins and ur hands were kinda started getting hurt). Still it could work if they made it with motion controls or ring compatible
@mesome713 I actually agree with you on this one. Kojima is a shadow of his former self and lets face it, when people think of Kojima they think of MGS. He spends money (other companies) like water and his engines are not a cheap budget at all. His brain defenately should be put in to directing movies as his ideas and story telling so diverse that some people just dont get it in the gaming world. I will forever be thankful to him for MGS tho as the majority are master classes of story telling and gameplay.
@mesome713 That article does say it's something of a rumor and that the person who brought it to light doesn't even have 100% confidence in his sources.
http://www.pushsquare.com/news/2020/05/death_stranding_was_a_sales_success_recent_kojima_project_fell_through
It was also reported that Death Stranding was a bestseller in Japan and it was the most successful debut of a new game I.P. over there while making the top charts in several other countries.
@Elvie Yet it's only sold if I remember 250k copies in Japan. I know it's rumor, everything I've stated is rumor. We don't really know why Konami fired him.
It's just good guess. When a company like Sony doesn't brag about numbers, it usual means it's failed to meet expectations.
@mesome713 Fair enough.
I never heard of it but it looked kind of fun, I might have picked it up if it had decent online multiplayer.
Konami: "Switch owners aren't interested in this, so they must not be interested in Gradius, Castlevania and other games we make."
Oh well, I guess they'll go back to making more pachinko machines now!
Funny how Konami keeps releasing things no one asked for. Meanwhile, so many good franchises are going to waste.
What the hell, Konami?! I bought a Switch just for this game! 😠
Konami is Konami, and Konami is the worst.
@HexagonSun Konami is spending most of their time on creating pachinko & gambling game machines. Wish they came back to support their older franchises!
@Kilamanjaro That's what I hear, although how hard would it really be for Konami to port over some of their older titles. I would have thought the MGS collection would have been a given, considering it was even ported (each game separately) to the Nvidia Shield. They're just leaving money on the table at this point.
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