Team Silent was a development team within
Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo
, commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
(KCET), responsible for the first four games in the ''
Silent Hill
is a horror media franchise centered on a series of survival horror games created by Keiichiro Toyama and published by Konami. The first four main games—'' Silent Hill'', '' Silent Hill 2'', '' Silent Hill 3'', and '' Silent Hill 4: The ...
'' franchise by
Konami
, commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
released from 1999 to 2004.
Later titles were developed by non-Japanese companies such as
Climax Studios
Climax Studios is a British video game developer based in Portsmouth that is best known for their work on the 2004 action role-playing game '' Sudeki'' and the 2007 and 2009 survival horror video games '' Silent Hill: Origins'' and '' Silent H ...
,
Double Helix Games and
Vatra Games. According to a ''
Silent Hill: Homecoming'' artist, Team Silent was ultimately disbanded by Konami itself, because Konami wanted Western developers to make the games. KCET was
merged
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are business transactions in which the ownership of a company, business organization, or one of their operating units is transferred to or consolidated with another entity. They may happen through direct absorpt ...
into the
parent company
A holding company is a company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the Security (finance), securities of other companies. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself. Its purpose is to own Share ...
in April 2005.
Key members of Team Silent include:
*
Keiichiro Toyama
is a Japanese video game director and designer, best known as the creator of the ''Silent Hill'', '' Siren'' and '' Gravity Rush'' franchises.
Biography
Toyama was born in 1970 in Miyazaki Prefecture, and studied art in Tokyo Zokei University ...
: Director of ''
Silent Hill
is a horror media franchise centered on a series of survival horror games created by Keiichiro Toyama and published by Konami. The first four main games—'' Silent Hill'', '' Silent Hill 2'', '' Silent Hill 3'', and '' Silent Hill 4: The ...
''. Left to join
Japan Studio
Japan Studio was a Japanese video game developer of Sony Interactive Entertainment based in Tokyo. It was best known for the '' Ape Escape'', '' LocoRoco'', '' Patapon'', '' Gravity Rush'', and '' Knack'' series, '' Ico'', ''Shadow of the Colos ...
(
Project Siren) in 1999 and created the ''
Siren'' series of games.
*Masashi Tsuboyama: Background designer of ''Silent Hill'', director of ''
Silent Hill 2
is a 2001 survival horror video game developed by Team Silent, a group in Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2. The second installment in the ''Silent Hill'' series, ''Silent Hill 2'' centers on ...
'', art director of ''
Silent Hill 4: The Room''. Left Konami to join
Good-Feel
(stylized as GoödFeël) is a Japanese video game developer. Good-Feel started in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, in 2005 and opened a production facility in Tokyo in the same year. Their main focus had been educational games for the Nintendo DS, whic ...
.
*Kazuhide Nakazawa: Director of ''
Silent Hill 3
is a 2003 survival horror video game developed by Team Silent, a group in Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2. The third installment in the ''Silent Hill'' series and a direct sequel to the Silent ...
''. He later joined
Kojima Productions
is a Japanese video game development studio founded in 2015 by Hideo Kojima, creator of the ''Metal Gear'' series. It is the spiritual successor to a production team inside Konami also known as Kojima Productions originally founded in 2005. The ...
.
*Suguru Murakoshi: Drama director of ''Silent Hill 2'', director and scenario writer of ''Silent Hill 4: The Room''. He later joined
Kojima Productions
is a Japanese video game development studio founded in 2015 by Hideo Kojima, creator of the ''Metal Gear'' series. It is the spiritual successor to a production team inside Konami also known as Kojima Productions originally founded in 2005. The ...
.
*
Hiroyuki Owaku: Scenario writer of ''Silent Hill 2'' and ''Silent Hill 3'', co-writer for ''Silent Hill''.
*
Masahiro Ito: Background and creature designer of ''Silent Hill'', art director and creature designer of ''Silent Hill 2'' and ''Silent Hill 3''.
*
Akira Yamaoka
is a Japanese composer, musician, producer, and sound designer who composed for Konami's ''Silent Hill'' video game series from 1999 to 2009, and 2024 onwards. He also produced many of its installments, and composed for its three film adaptatio ...
: Series sound director; producer of ''Silent Hill 3'' and ''Silent Hill 4: The Room''. Left
Konami
, commonly known as Konami, , is a Japanese multinational entertainment company and video game developer and video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo. The company also produces and distributes trading card ...
to join
Grasshopper Manufacture
is a Japanese video game developer founded on March 30, 1998 by Goichi Suda. They are well known for creating titles such as '' killer7'' and the '' No More Heroes'' series.
History
The company was founded on March 30, 1998 in Suginami, J ...
.
*Gozo Kitao: Executive producer of ''Silent Hill'', ''Silent Hill 2'' and ''Silent Hill 3''.
*Akihiro Imamura: Lead programmer of ''Silent Hill'', producer of ''Silent Hill 2'', sub-producer of ''Silent Hill 4: The Room''.
*
Takayoshi Sato:
CGI Creator of ''Silent Hill'' and ''Silent Hill 2''. Left Konami to join
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by former Apple Inc., Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry ...
in 2003, subsequently worked at
Virtual Heroes, Inc. in 2007, and later joined
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto. It develops, publishes, and releases both video games and video game consoles.
The history of Nintendo began when craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi ...
in 2012 as a visual producer.
Akira Yamaoka
is a Japanese composer, musician, producer, and sound designer who composed for Konami's ''Silent Hill'' video game series from 1999 to 2009, and 2024 onwards. He also produced many of its installments, and composed for its three film adaptatio ...
played a major role in the
''Silent Hill'' film adaptation by overseeing and approving specific aspects of the movie throughout its production. Some of the original members (as led by Toyama, director of the first ''
Silent Hill
is a horror media franchise centered on a series of survival horror games created by Keiichiro Toyama and published by Konami. The first four main games—'' Silent Hill'', '' Silent Hill 2'', '' Silent Hill 3'', and '' Silent Hill 4: The ...
'' game) went on to create the ''
Siren'' series, which has a similar atmosphere to the ''
Silent Hill
is a horror media franchise centered on a series of survival horror games created by Keiichiro Toyama and published by Konami. The first four main games—'' Silent Hill'', '' Silent Hill 2'', '' Silent Hill 3'', and '' Silent Hill 4: The ...
'' franchise.
In 2017, when asked if Team Silent would ever reunite, Yamaoka said he was not against the idea, but also said that "it's hard to say because everyone has evolved, and maybe the mindset has changed as well. Also, the technology and the games industry as a whole has changed as well. Even if we got back together I'm not even sure we could do something great so it's very hard to say at the moment".
References
{{Use mdy dates, date=October 2012
Konami
Silent Hill
Japanese companies established in 1996
Japanese companies disestablished in 2005
Video game companies established in 1996
Video game companies disestablished in 2005
Video game development companies
Defunct video game companies of Japan