Hideo Kojima is expressing an interest in developing a manga, making movies, and pursuing multiple “smaller” games. Kojima is the mastermind behind the Metal Gear series and Death Stranding, both of which carry his brand of unique gameplay and elaborate and intricate storylines. His works often contain themes that encourage players to explore how they pertain to the real world, and have given the gaming industry some of its most influential and innovative titles. With the success of Death Stranding, gamers are eager to hear what Kojima Productions will create next.
It comes as no surprise to any who have played a Kojima title that he has aspirations outside of video games. His directorial debut, Metal Gear, featured unprecedented gameplay and a storyline that could easily have been the plot of a Hollywood blockbuster. As the series progressed onto later consoles, Kojima distinguished himself by linking the increasingly complex plot between games and treating players to breathtaking–and lengthy–cutscenes. By 2008, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots could be said to be more movie than game, featuring nine hours of cutscenes while the game itself could be completed in fewer than five hours on the hardest difficulty. Death Stranding, on the other hand, offered far more gameplay with longer cutscenes throughout.
Kojima’s interview in Famitsu magazine, translated by Dualshockers, further explores his interest in other forms of entertainment. He speaks alongside artist Yoji Shinkawa, the artist responsible for designing the machines in the Metal Gear series. They express interest in creating a manga together, with Kojima mentioning that he would also enjoy creating an anime, which would give Shinkawa more work and be less taxing than a full-length video game. However, Kojima does not seem to have any intention of putting video games on hold, saying that he would like to work on multiple small projects and one “big” game, with the former being released throughout the development of the latter.
In terms of his own individual style, Kojima reiterated his dogma that video games and movies are more closely related now than they ever have been, with games now being capable of delivering the same stories and emotional impact than they were when Metal Gear was first created. Kojima has been vocal in this belief for decades, and it is coincidentally thanks in large part to his work that this is the case. He concluded the interview by stating that despite Death Stranding’s critical acclaim, he feels as though he can still improve.
It has always been difficult to guess what Kojima will work on next, and the storylines he conceives are virtually impossible to predict. However, the games he has developed are a clear indication that the director, writer, and producer has ideas that reach far beyond the world of video games. As we saw when the now-cancelled Silent Hills was revealed, it’s fair to assume that anything Kojima is involved with will immediately seize public interest; the only question now is what that next project will be.
Next: Does Metal Gear Survive Mark The End Of The Franchise?
Death Stranding is available now on PlayStation 4 and will be available on PC in the early summer of 2020.
Source: Dualshockers
