Image Credit: Bethesda
Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.

Hideo Kojima Says He Has More Freedom Post-Konami

In case that wasn't obvious from the Death Stranding trailers.
This article is over 7 years old and may contain outdated information

It’s been well-documented that in 2015 Konami decided it no longer wanted the services of famed game designer Hideo Kojima. Though Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain’s extremely long and expensive development cycle is widely believed to have been the impetus for the firing, neither Konami nor Kojima has talked publicly about the specifics of the split.

Recommended Videos

Speaking in a couple of different interviews yesterday, however, Kojima touched briefly on his feelings about the split, how his experiences with Konami affected him, and how game development has changed for him post-Konami.

“The me that stands here now is the product of the past 53 years of my life,” Kojima told IGN. “Everything I experienced over 53 years; movies I’ve seen, books I’ve read, music I’ve listened to, games I’ve played, people I’ve met and the 30 years spent in this industry, have formed who I am. Not one of these things has been without purpose, including my experience creating games at Konami. I’m embarking on a new challenge with a fresh slate, but I intend to keep pushing the creative envelope until the day I die. I believe my experiences over the past 53 years won’t lead me astray.”

That Kojima feels he’ll continue heading down a good path seems particularly noteworthy given that he apparently now has the independence to make the type of game he wants. “I have more freedom now because the final decision comes down to me,” he told the BBC’s Radio 1 Newsbeat. “This company is not listed on the stock exchange so we don’t need to worry about pleasing investors. We can just concentrate on making good games.”

Despite having had less freedom, things apparently weren’t all bad for Kojima at Konami, though. The designer described himself as being “very appreciative” for the various experiences he had while with the studio.

But now he’s focused on his new company, Kojima Productions, and its first game, Death Stranding. Kojima declined to share any new concrete details about the game, but he did vaguely explain that the goal is for it to be unlike anything anyone has played before.

MORE NEWS


Twinfinite is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Nick Santangelo
Nick Santangelo
Nick has been a gamer since the 8-bit days and has been reporting on the games industry since 2011. Don't interrupt him while he's questing through an RPG or desperately clinging to hope against all reason that his Philly sports teams will win something.