What's in a title? Ask Hideo Kojima. As part of a wave of promotions this week, Konami promoted the eponymous founder of Kojima Productions, presumably as a result of the success of his signature series, Metal Gear Solid. Some 4.5 million Metal Gear games were sold in 2008, helping the Tokyo-based company post a $195 million profit for the April-December period.

　　Hideo-san, in repose.

　　For all his efforts--including overseeing development of GameSpot's 2008 Game of the Year, Metal Gear Solid 4--Kojima is now "Executive Corporate Officer Director, Kojima Production," according to an English-language Konami press release. However, the impressive-sounding position doesn't quite have the newest-sounding ring, considering that Kojima's previous position was "Corporate Officer Director, Kojima Production."

　　Nevertheless, Kojima's honors don't stop with a more highfalutin title. Next Wednesday, the veteran designer will receive a lifetime achievement award at the Game Developers Choice Awards in San Francisco. He will also deliver a keynote address to the 2009 Game Developers Conference on Thursday, the day after its main three-day run is kicked off by Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. Both events, as well as the GDCA awards, will be live-blogged by GameSpot.