Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima has officially left Konami and begun building his own studio, according to Japanese financial periodical Nikkei.

Allegedly, Kojima left his former employer on December 15th, which corroborates reports that Kojima's contract (and non-compete clause) expired this month.

The new studio is supposedly in talks with Sony to make games for the PlayStation platform.

This development comes at the end of a lengthy, painful separation process for the game director and his former studio.

Amongst other conflicts, Kojima saw his horror project Silent Hills cancelled, his name taken off Metal Gear Solid V marketing, and his attendance at the Game Awards refused by Konami.

Konami retains the rights to the Metal Gear Solid series.