Team Silent

{{Short description|Japanese video game developer}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Team Silent

| logo = File:TeamSilent.png

| type = Division

| industry = Video games

| founded = {{start date and age|1996}}{{cite web|url=http://www.satoworks.com/Takayoshi_Sato_resume.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716010338/http://www.satoworks.com/Takayoshi_Sato_resume.html |archive-date=2011-07-16 |title=My Resume |author=Sato, Takayoshi |publisher=SatoWorks |access-date=2011-01-06 |url-status=dead}}

| defunct = {{start date and age|2007}}{{cite web|url=https://www.resetera.com/threads/lets-clear-this-up-team-silent-was-making-a-silent-hill-5-and-it-and-they-got-canned-by-konami.61131/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318132412/https://www.resetera.com/threads/lets-clear-this-up-team-silent-was-making-a-silent-hill-5-and-it-and-they-got-canned-by-konami.61131/ |archive-date=2023-03-18 |title=Let's clear this up: Team Silent was making a Silent Hill 5, and it (and they) got canned by Konami |author=Winston1 |date=August 10, 2018 |publisher=ResetEra |access-date=2023-03-18 |url-status=live}}

| hq_location_city = Tokyo

| hq_location_country = Japan

| key_people = {{plainlist|

• Hiroyuki Owaku (writer)
• Akira Yamaoka (sound director)
• Masahiro Ito (art director)}}

| parent = Konami

| products = Silent Hill

}}

Team Silent was a development team within Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo (KCET), responsible for the first four games in the Silent Hill franchise by Konami released from 1999 to 2004.{{cite web |url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/094/094863p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020404222653/http://ps2.ign.com/articles/094/094863p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 4, 2002 |title=E3 2001: Silent Hill 2 Interview |date=May 17, 2001 |work=IGN |publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc |access-date=December 26, 2010}} {{cite web |url=http://top100.ign.com/2007/ign_top_game_97.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071122142027/http://top100.ign.com/2007/ign_top_game_97.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 22, 2007 |title=IGN Top 100 Games 2007: 97 Silent Hill 2 |year=2007 |work=IGN |publisher=IGN Entertainment, Inc |access-date=December 26, 2010}} Later titles were developed by non-Japanese companies such as Climax Studios, 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.{{cite web |author=Tom Goldman |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/107042-Silent-Hill-Artist-Claims-Konami-Disbanded-Team-Silent |title=Silent Hill Artist Claims Konami Disbanded Team Silent | The Escapist |website=Escapistmagazine.com |date=2011-01-18 |access-date=2016-06-12 |archive-date=January 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110121000501/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/107042-Silent-Hill-Artist-Claims-Konami-Disbanded-Team-Silent |url-status=live }} KCET was merged into the parent company in April 2005.{{cite web |url=http://www.konami.co.jp/en/ir/pdf/generalmeeting/050222/ketugi.pdf |title=Notification of Business Conducted at the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders |date=February 22, 2005 |publisher=Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd |access-date=December 26, 2010 |archive-date=May 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518210524/http://www.konami.co.jp/en/ir/pdf/generalmeeting/050222/ketugi.pdf |url-status=live }}

Key members of Team Silent include:

• Keiichiro Toyama: Director of Silent Hill. Left to join Japan Studio (Project Siren) in 1999 and created the Siren series of games.{{cite web |url=http://www.polygon.com/2013/10/30/5048140/silent-hill-creator-discusses-how-he-joined-the-game-biz-and-why |title=Silent Hill creator discusses how he joined the game biz and why AAA horror is 'difficult' to fund |website=Polygon.com |date=October 30, 2013 |access-date=2016-06-12 |archive-date=August 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814174020/http://www.polygon.com/2013/10/30/5048140/silent-hill-creator-discusses-how-he-joined-the-game-biz-and-why |url-status=live }}
• Masashi Tsuboyama: Background designer of Silent Hill, director of Silent Hill 2, art director of Silent Hill 4: The Room. Left Konami to join Good-Feel.
• Kazuhide Nakazawa: Director of Silent Hill 3.{{cite web |url=http://www.silenthillmemories.net/creators/interviews/2002.06.12_owaku_yamaoka_nakazawa_ign_en.htm |title=E3 2002: Interview with Hiroyuki Owaku, Akira Yamaoka and Kazuhide Nakazawa (IGN) |publisher=Silent Hill Memories |access-date=2016-06-12 |archive-date=July 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729122433/http://www.silenthillmemories.net/creators/interviews/2002.06.12_owaku_yamaoka_nakazawa_ign_en.htm |url-status=live }} He later joined Kojima Productions.
• Suguru Murakoshi: Drama director of Silent Hill 2, director and scenario writer of Silent Hill 4: The Room. He later joined Kojima Productions.
• Hiroyuki Owaku: Scenario writer of Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 3, co-writer for Silent Hill.{{cite web |url=http://8226.teacup.com/hill_nobu/bbs/1416 |title=Nobu bbs: scenario writers |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716194906/http://8226.teacup.com/hill_nobu/bbs/1416 |archive-date=July 16, 2011 |url-status=live |author=Ito, Masahiro |date=June 14, 2010 |publisher=GMO Media, Inc |access-date=June 14, 2010}}
• Masahiro Ito: Background and creature designer of Silent Hill, art director and creature designer of Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 3.[http://uk.ign.com/articles/2017/03/16/silent-hill-monster-designer-reveals-concept-art-for-cancelled-silent-hill-game IGN]
• Akira Yamaoka: Series sound director; producer of Silent Hill 3 and Silent Hill 4: The Room. Left Konami to join Grasshopper Manufacture.{{Cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2010/04/02/interview-akira-yamaoka-explains-grasshopper-jump/|title=Interview: Akira Yamaoka explains Grasshopper jump|date=April 2, 2010|access-date=May 19, 2018|archive-date=May 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520054548/https://www.engadget.com/2010/04/02/interview-akira-yamaoka-explains-grasshopper-jump/|url-status=live}}
• 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,{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/qanda-konamis-akihiro-imamura/1100-2704392/ |title=Q&A: Konami's Akihiro Imamura |publisher=GameSpot |date=2006-05-17 |access-date=2016-06-12 |archive-date=September 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910230941/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/qanda-konamis-akihiro-imamura/1100-2704392/ |url-status=live }} sub-producer of Silent Hill 4: The Room.
• Takayoshi Sato: CGI Creator of Silent Hill and Silent Hill 2.{{cite web |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130793/silence_is_golden_takayoshi_.php |title=Silence Is Golden: Takayoshi Sato's Occidental Journey |publisher=Gamasutra |date=2005-08-25 |access-date=2016-06-12 |archive-date=July 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170715064254/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130793/silence_is_golden_takayoshi_.php |url-status=live }} Left Konami to join Electronic Arts in 2003, subsequently worked at Virtual Heroes, Inc. in 2007, and later joined Nintendo in 2012 as a visual producer.

Akira Yamaoka 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 game) went on to create the Siren series, which has a similar atmosphere to the Silent Hill 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".{{cite web |last1=Donnelly |first1=Joe |title=Akira Yamaoka would 'love' to see Silent Hill revived, is open to Team Silent reunion |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/akira-yamaoka-would-love-to-see-silent-hill-revived-is-open-to-team-silent-reformation/ |website=PC Gamer |date=August 29, 2017 |access-date=29 March 2022 |archive-date=December 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208072817/https://www.pcgamer.com/akira-yamaoka-would-love-to-see-silent-hill-revived-is-open-to-team-silent-reformation/ |url-status=live }}