Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima has founded a new independent game studio: Kojima Productions, which has partnered with Sony for its first project, a new franchise that Kojima told IGN will be "slightly more edgy."
We spoke to Kojima in Tokyo for his first public interview since reports that he was leaving Konami after the completion of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. He will be joined at his new studio by former Metal Gear Solid artist Yoji Shinkawa and producer Kenichiro Imaizumi. Both men will fill senior roles overlooking art design and production respectively.
While Kojima was eager to answer our questions about his future, he offered no comments about his former employer, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, or the future of Metal Gear series.
Instead, Hideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa were eager to discuss the state of the games industry, Kojima Productions’ future, and its mysterious upcoming PlayStation game
Sony Deal
Kojima Productions has partnered with Sony for its first video game project, and studio founder Hideo Kojima explains that it’s because of his great relationship with the publisher, which has developed over the course of more than a decade.
"I feel like this is an environment where I will be able to make something and feel comfortable," Kojima said, "and I believe that’s the environment I need right now."
Following his departure from Konami, Kojima received "a lot of offers from overseas companies," but ultimately chose to work with the company he admits he owes his global success to.
"It’s thanks to Sony that I was able to make a splash in the global market. It’s been 10-plus years since then and the working relationship at Sony, the people at Sony, we gel well…. I got several offers from many different companies, but with Sony it came to a point where I know these people, they know me, we know each other well."
Kojima admits, "it would have been interesting to develop a relationship" with an overseas partner, "but in this case it’s been 10-plus years. There are many stories. We have this deeper trust with each other, so I wanted to try working with [Sony] on the first project."
Kojima’s been an advocate of multiplatform games in the past, so there’s certainly the potential that Kojima Productions’ future projects are not platform exclusive.
"One way or another," Kojima said, "everything will end up being multiplatform."
The PlayStation Project is Top Secret
Kojima isn’t ready to give any details on what Kojima Productions’ PlayStation project is quite yet, and it’s likely that very very little, if anything, has even been decided. But the early team told IGN what its philosophy and goals will be for the nascent project.
"I want to create something that’s what people expect, but at the same time will have something new that people haven’t seen before," Kojima said, noting specifically that "it will be a complete game."
Yoji Shinkawa added, “We’ve been working on a franchise that is beloved and has recognizable characters. One of my big goals is, visually, with whatever characters we create, to go beyond that, to be more recognizable, more beloved. That’s definitely one of the goals I have when it comes to the art side.”
For its first project, Kojima said, "I’m thinking smaller-scale, not too many people, and focusing on game creation at first." From there, Kojima says it’s possible the studio could expand beyond games.
Games Come First, But Aren’t the End
While Hideo Kojima wants to deliver what his fans expect from him -- “I think that’s games” -- video game development isn’t necessarily the only thing Kojima Productions is interested in long-term.
"The focus is on digital content, so we could consider movies, animations, anything," Kojima said. "But first I think people expect games from me. That’s where I want to put my focus. Once we have an established IP in games, something solid that satisfies people, then we can consider movies and videos."
Kojima reiterated once more that he’s still interested in working with his Silent Hills partner Guillermo del Toro, whether it’s a game, film, anime, or something else entirely.
Exploring New Territory With Kojima Productions
With the new Kojima Productions, the team aims to maintain the studio's pedigree for making high quality games.
“We’ll have more agility,” he said. “We’ll be able to do things that are more edgy, preserving the quality we’ve had so far, while at the same time finding new challenges and exploring new areas.”
Shinkawa told IGN he’ll be overseeing the entirety of Kojima Productions’ art, including "characters, concepts for the backgrounds, concepts for the mechs," and more.
“One thing that’s different is I want to accept challenges and do things I wasn’t able to do before,” Shinkawa added. “I want to expand, on a personal level, the things I can do.”
Del Toro
Hideo Kojima is still interested in working with Guillermo del Toro, his partner on the canceled Silent Hills project, but the duo could end up working on something other than a video game at the newly formed Kojima Productions.
"I have no idea what I’ll be working on with him, if it’ll be a game, a movie, anime, but someday I definitely want to create something with him," Kojima told IGN
The Metal Gear Solid creator made no guarantees that del Toro would be involved in any future Kojima Productions projects, but emphasized that the two still discuss working together "every now and then."
VR
Hideo Kojima “can’t make an assurance right now” about working on a virtual reality game at Kojima Productions, but told IGN it’s absolutely in his interest.
“One day I’d like to make something using this technology, I’m not sure yet,” Kojima said. “But I do believe it has a future.”
The size of the technology as it exists now is a concern for the Kojima Productions founder.
“I’m not sure if it’ll be current format, the big goggles, maybe it’ll change to AR or something,” he said. “But when this technology enters the living room, games and movies will change significantly for a lot of people. And I’d like to take part in that.”
Kojima noted that the sense of “being there is not something 3D movies can even try to compete with. It’s on a completely different level. In that regard I feel this is something that has a big future.”
Kojima Productions artist Yoji Shinkawa is also impressed by and interested in VR. He told IGN, “I tried many titles on VR technology and I’m very, very impressed. It gave me a shock similar to when I first played a game on Famicom. It had a huge impact on me and I’m very impressed by VR technology. One day I hope I can work on something on V
Kojima Productions’ Logo Mirrors Its Journey
The Kojima Productions logo differs drastically from its relatively simple earlier iteration. The familiar fox has been replaced by an ornate skull wrapped around something more mechanical.
“I’ve always loved astronauts, and [the new Kojima Productions logo] is designed so it can be seen as a medieval knight or an astronaut’s helmet,” Kojima said. “The concept is, with new technology and a pioneer spirit, we want to bring you to a new realm – within the digital world, I mean – we want to travel together with you to a new realm to which no one has gone before.”
He continued, “As for the skeleton, we’re homo sapiens – people of wisdom – but we’re also homo ludens – people who play – and the concept behind this logo is that: With new technology and a pioneer spirit, we’ll deliver play to a new world.”
The Studio Still Hasn’t Decided What Game Engine to Use
While at Konami, Kojima and his team built the Fox Engine, an impressive software framework capable of high quality photorealistic graphics. It was a massive undertaking that took several years of development.
For his new studio, Kojima Productions is still discussing and analyzing what framework the team will use.
“We could go either way,” Kojima said, “whether it’s using an existing engine or making another engine. We’ll have to do some research before making a decision on that one.”
Japanese Console Trends Aren’t a Concern
“I make games in Japan for a global market,” Kojima said when asked about his view of console sales’ downward trend in Japan. “As long as there’s a market out there in the world for making games, I’m not too focused on what’s happening in the domestic market in Japan.
“However, because I make games for all the world, I want to make games that go to a global market. If there are very fun games are out there, I believe they will eventually find their way to Japan. People in Japan will start consuming them.”
Both Kojima and Shinkawa Expressed Gratitude to Fans
"One thing that happened through this period, the voice of the fans, the people who expected a lot, they gave me courage," Shinkawa said. "They made me feel really good. I felt really gratified having worked so hard in creating games and doing the art I create. I want to correspond to the fans, to get back to them, and I think working again with Mr. Kojima is a great way to do this."
Kojima added, "I’ve been in this industry for 30 years. I turned 52 this year. I’m getting to a new start, and I am very confident. I’ll keep creating games until the day I die. Rest assured I’m making more games, something more fun, something you haven’t seen, and it would be great if I could count on the fans to support me in this."
Mr357 wrote:
AnimeGamer183 wrote: #fuckkonami
December 17, 2015
KONAMI SEEKS DEVELOPERS FOR 'NEW METAL GEAR'
"New Metal Gear!?"
BY SETH G. MACY
On the career page of its Japanese website, Konami Group has announced it is actively seeking professionals to help develop a new Metal Gear.
Not just a new Metal Gear, but "New Metal Gear," as the project is referred to in the listing. The company is now recruiting for a "wide range of highly-skilled development professionals" for New Metal Gear.
In September, Konami expressed confidence that the Metal Gear Solid franchise could continue without Kojima, citing the successful partnership with Platinum Games on Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance as an example. Reports at the beginning of November pointed to Konami already planning the next Metal Gear game.
Both Konami's Tokyo and Los Angeles studios are listed on the job page, which calls for professional resumes and portfolios from candidates with a "strong passion toward game creation." The inclusion of the LA office is unusual, as Konami confirmed it would be shuttering its California-based studio.
This comes in the wake of former Konami employee and Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima's announcement that his team will be working on an unannounced product with Sony. Kojima's new PlayStation game will be "slightly more edgy" than the Metal Gear games for which he is famous, but there are precious few other details to talk about at the moment.
Mr357 wrote:
Monkei wrote:December 17, 2015
KONAMI SEEKS DEVELOPERS FOR 'NEW METAL GEAR'
"New Metal Gear!?"
BY SETH G. MACY
On the career page of its Japanese website, Konami Group has announced it is actively seeking professionals to help develop a new Metal Gear.
Not just a new Metal Gear, but "New Metal Gear," as the project is referred to in the listing. The company is now recruiting for a "wide range of highly-skilled development professionals" for New Metal Gear.
In September, Konami expressed confidence that the Metal Gear Solid franchise could continue without Kojima, citing the successful partnership with Platinum Games on Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance as an example. Reports at the beginning of November pointed to Konami already planning the next Metal Gear game.
Both Konami's Tokyo and Los Angeles studios are listed on the job page, which calls for professional resumes and portfolios from candidates with a "strong passion toward game creation." The inclusion of the LA office is unusual, as Konami confirmed it would be shuttering its California-based studio.
This comes in the wake of former Konami employee and Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima's announcement that his team will be working on an unannounced product with Sony. Kojima's new PlayStation game will be "slightly more edgy" than the Metal Gear games for which he is famous, but there are precious few other details to talk about at the moment.
AnimeGamer183 wrote:#boycottkonami
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