Hideo Kojima, the legendary game designer behind Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding, shared insights and stories during a special interview at the Tokyo Game Show 2021. He talked about his early inspirations and challenges while creating Metal Gear Solid, as well as the development of Death Stranding and his current projects, including a new social game played in real-world locations. Kojima also discussed his future ambitions to continue making games that challenge players and push boundaries, while inspiring the next generation of game designers to be creative and innovative.
Interview with Gaming Legend Hideo Kojima at Tokyo Game Show 2021
Introduction
The Tokyo Game Show 2021 featured a special interview with legendary game designer Hideo Kojima. Known for creating some of the most memorable video games of all time, including the Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding series, Kojima was gracious enough to share his insights and stories with the conference attendees.
Early Years and Career
Kojima started his career in the video game industry as a planner and designer for the MSX2 computer system. He soon caught the attention of Konami, a major game publisher, and joined their team. Kojima’s breakout game was Metal Gear Solid, which he wrote, designed, and directed. The game was a critical and commercial success, and spawned a long-running franchise.
In the interview, Kojima talked about his early inspirations, including the movies of Stanley Kubrick and the books of Haruki Murakami. He also discussed the challenges he faced while creating Metal Gear Solid, including limited resources and a strict development schedule.
Kojima Productions and Current Projects
After leaving Konami, Kojima founded his own game development company, Kojima Productions. The studio’s first project was Death Stranding, a highly-anticipated game that featured an all-star cast, including Norman Reedus and Mads Mikkelsen. Kojima spoke about the development of the game and the challenges of forming a new team.
The interview also covered Kojima’s current projects, including a new game that he described as a “social game” that would be played in real-time, in real-world locations. While he didn’t give much away, he did say that the game would involve players working together to accomplish a task. He also mentioned that he was working on new technology that would allow for more immersive gameplay experiences.
Future Ambitions and Legacy
Kojima closed the interview by discussing his future ambitions and legacy. He stated that he wanted to continue making games that challenged players and pushed boundaries. He also talked about the importance of storytelling in games and how he wanted to continue exploring new themes and ideas.
Regarding his legacy, Kojima said that he hoped to be remembered as a game designer who always tried something new and never rested on his laurels. He also mentioned his desire to inspire the next generation of game designers and encourage them to be creative and innovative.