In a revealing interview with Edge magazine, as reported by VGC, Hideo Kojima shared a poignant insight into his mortality and its impact on his creative process. The legendary game designer, who turned 60, mentioned that the pandemic was a more significant turning point in his life than his age milestone. A severe illness and an eye operation during this period forced Kojima to confront his own mortality, leading him to question how many more years he had left to create.
This introspection prompted Kojima to leave behind a USB stick filled with game ideas for his team at Kojima Productions, which he likened to a will. He expressed concern about the future of his studio after his passing, hoping that his ideas could help sustain and guide the company. "I gave a USB stick with all my ideas on it to my personal assistant, kind of like a will," Kojima stated, emphasizing his desire for Kojima Productions to continue innovating rather than merely managing existing intellectual property.
Kojima also discussed his fascination with incorporating real-time progression in video games. In a recent episode of his Japanese radio podcast KOJI10, he revealed a scrapped idea from Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, where the protagonist Sam's beard would grow over time, requiring the player to shave it. However, this feature was abandoned due to concerns about the star actor Norman Reedus's appearance. Despite this, Kojima remains open to exploring such mechanics in future projects.
Furthermore, Kojima shared three unique game concepts centered around the passage of time. The first is a game of life where the player ages from childhood to old age, affecting their physical abilities and strategic approach to gameplay. The second concept involves nurturing products like wine or cheese over extended periods, suitable for a background or idle game. Lastly, he proposed a "forgetting game," where the protagonist's memory and abilities deteriorate if the player does not engage frequently, ultimately leading to an inability to progress if neglected.
Amid these creative revelations, Kojima and his studio are currently juggling multiple high-profile projects. These include Death Stranding 2, a live-action Death Stranding film with A24, OD for Xbox Game Studios, and a video game and movie hybrid titled Physint for Sony. However, the ongoing video game actors strike has delayed the release of OD and Physint, leaving fans eagerly awaiting further updates.
Kojima has been thinking about what happens once he's gone. Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Pictures.
Kojima's reflections and future projects underscore his relentless drive to push the boundaries of interactive entertainment, even as he contemplates his legacy and the future of Kojima Productions.
