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The long-rumored Hideo Kojima horror game was leaked yesterday, taking fans and apparently Kojima himself by surprise. The report came from none other than known insider Tom Henderson, who later declined a request by Kojima Productions to remove his article. As with all other leaks, someone broke an NDA when they leaked the information that they were privy to, but what makes this case interesting is the heated debate that it has stirred in the gaming community about leaks and whether they are unethical or not.
Why the Kojima horror game leak has the gaming community divided
I love how the gaming industry is now looking at the morals of leaks when they wouldn’t hesitate to cover such information if they hadn’t signed an agreement.
To be clear; I have never broken an NDA, but I would also never sign one in the current journalism landscape.
— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) June 7, 2022
Shortly after the publication of his report, Henderson came under fire from some fellow journalists who argued that leaking an announcement shortly before a major event amounts to clout chasing and Henderson should have withheld his information. Others, like Jason Schreier, argued that the morality and ethics of leaks are up for debate but Henderson has no moral or legal obligation to withhold information that he received because the onus lies with the person who signs/breaks the NDA.
But this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a major leak prior to an event, and certainly won’t be the last time we see one. However, the response to this particular leak has been unusually polarizing, perhaps because of Kojima being a revered figure in the games industry. Countless tweets by fans called upon Henderson to remove his report in light of Kojima’s request, with some expressing anger that the developer’s request was denied. Seeing fans and fellow journalists join forces to criticize Henderson is something one doesn’t see often.
Tom and I have had our disagreements but he’s not wrong here. Reporters shouldn’t feel obligated to keep any information secret so long as they obtained it in an ethical way
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) June 7, 2022
I honestly have no problems usually with people outing unannounced projects even if it is days or hours before an official reveal… but don’t act like it’s some righteous act of journalism for the public good.
— Liam Robertson (@Doctor_Cupcakes) June 7, 2022
Where do our readers stand when it comes to leaks? Share your thoughts in the comments below.