Konami set to open new Los Angeles HQ

Videogame publisher Konami has announced plans to expand its operations to a new office in Los Angeles, which will become the base for the company's global videogame business.

The new LA operation will be called Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc (KDE), and will be headed up by Kazumi Kitaue, who is currently the executive corporate officer of Konami's computer and videogames division.

In line with the new naming scheme, the Redwood City based Konami office which handles the company's North American sales, marketing and operations will be renamed from Konami of America to Konami Digital Entertainment America (KDEA).

We have to say that it's not entirely clear what Konami Digital Entertainment will actually be doing, since the company's North American operations will continue to be run from Redwood City.

According to Konami, the new division will focus on "global product brand growth strategies, business development and licensing activities", which is an entertainingly meaningless mish-mash of buzzwords but seems to imply that the new office will be devoting itself to expanding Konami's product development and licensing activities outside of Japan, effectively becoming responsible for all content production that happens outside of the company's studios in the Far East.

"Los Angeles is known as the centre for worldwide entertainment," enthused KDE's new CEO, Kazumi Kitaue. "We believe that Los Angeles is the ideal location for strengthening Konami's content business strategy. This move will provide us with the proximity to the partners that will allow us to maintain and expand Konami's position as a front runner in the digital entertainment industry, and lead to further growth in Konami's global business."