The creator of the popular Metal Gear series and director of Death Stranding, Hideo Kojima, takes a shot at former publisher Konami for their lack of trust and restrictive terms. The early segment of the Connecting Worlds documentary that is exclusively streaming on Disney+ talks about his experiences with his former company which was Konami and how he was constricted on fully realizing his vision.
Developing video games is not a cheap hobby, there are multitudes of layers to understand and people to go through that will occasionally challenge the feasibility of the project and may not see the light of day. Kojima made the brave decision to part ways with Konami and be an independent studio moving forward, fortunately, his credibility served him well which opened countless doors for his company. Sony filled in the void and backed Kojima’s first new and original IP while respecting his independence.
Kojima Never Needed Konami, Konami needed Kojima.
Kojima’s final entry in the Metal Gear series was called Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain which was released in 2015. The title was well-received and is considered to be a fitting finale for the director in that genre, until his return with a newly announced IP codenamed Physint in partnership with PlayStation for next gen. However, the project went over budget due to creative decisions and other factors, which displeased Konami. Unfortunately, dealing with budget constraints is a common and sometimes unpleasant aspect of the industry.
It is difficult to craft a world without the proper support, Kojima does not see a future where he cannot build the perfect world he envisioned. The legendary director is an artist and his imagination is filled with concepts and ideas for the world to consume, Konami is a business and they have to look after their brand and the numbers which is a valid sentiment, but perhaps they shouldn’t hinder one of gaming’s well-known game creator.
Kojima’s Comeback with PlayStation
Hideo has friends from all over the entertainment industry, from actors to directors who will help him in a heartbeat. Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn even claims that Kojima is an enemy of the present-day gaming algorithm of gaming. Fellow directors Guillermo Del Toro and George Miller agree with the sentiment and admire his unique approach to story-telling.
To create a world without any limitations when it comes to creativity, and where budget is no longer a concern, it is best to build an original brand independently. PlayStation had complete faith in Kojima’s abilities and allowed him to cook up the weirdest, wackiest, and most beautiful game ever created. It might seem like a gamble or a leap of faith, but Sony possesses what Konami lacks: trust in the developer. Whenever you see the “A Hideo Kojima Game” tag, you can trust that you’re not simply playing a game, but entering a new world.
