To say Hideo Kojima is a titan in the gaming industry would be an understatement. Having pioneered the stealth action genre with the Metal Gear series, Kojima has influenced several titles with his work and continues to create waves with new projects.
While Kojima may no longer be able to create games under the Metal Gear Solid moniker, he speaks fondly of his time with the franchise. In particular, he holds one person at the company in high regard for his encouragement in releasing the second game in the series.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Released Due to One Person at Konami
Game development is a tricky process, even within the industry. Crunch times, delays, and even entire cancellations of games are not uncommon. However, extraneous factors can also throw a monkey wrench into the works. Metal Gear Solid 2 faced such an issue, and the creator was ready to drop the project.
Hideo Kojima may now be a veteran in the industry, with even Hollywood directors ready to give him their IPs to create games, but this was not always the case. Right before the launch of the second Metal Gear title, the world bore witness to one of the worst terrorist attacks in history on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. Both of these were featured in the game, and that caused a great deal of worry not only for the team but for Kojima himself.
To such a degree, Kojima told IGN, “It seemed impossible to release the game.” Taking the matter to the board of directors proved to reinforce his worries, as almost all of them “turned pale” when explaining the situation. All, except for one, the Chairman of Konami, Kagemasa Kozuki. His words of conviction encouraged Kojima to go through with the release.
When this game comes out and society has their say about it, they’ll be talking about you, its creator, and me, the person who sold it. I doubt they’ll say anything about anyone else. What will you do? I’m ready for whatever happens.
Despite this, the game director fell ill due to his worry regarding his title. As he hopped from hospital to hospital, it was only Mr. Kozuki who expressed worry for his colleague, notes Kojima.
Hideo Kojima Continues to Make His Presence Known Outside of Gaming
As fans of the director await more information regarding the upcoming Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Kojima has been busy sharing his views on the latest and greatest in Hollywood. His most recent review of Deadpool & Wolverine stated his surprise and joy at what the Marvel cinematic universe has been able to achieve over the years.
Kojima has always been an avid movie buff, sharing monthly picks and reviews on his social media pages. He is also very well acquainted with some of Hollywood’s biggest creators, such as George Miller, whose Mad Max spin-off Furiosa received applause from Kojima.
His love for cinema is reflected in his game design as well. Even the second Metal Gear, despite having limited resources due to the technology at the time, featured an almost movie-like plot to keep the player engaged.
What is your favorite Kojima creation? Let us know in the comments below!
