Hideo Kojima: The Kikizo Interview 2009

Catch-up with Konami's top creator to discuss reinvigorating Kojima Productions, fusion with western developers, rising costs, MGS Touch and, inevitably, Metal Gear Solid 5.

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Kikizo: The cost of game development is increasing - how long do you think that can continue? Can the costs be reduced in any way, and is creating new IP too risky these days?

Kojima: Well, in technology terms, when technology improves, the cost eventually goes down. But if you want to do something really new, it's always going to cost. Think of a Hollywood movie - if you want to do something really high-spec, you have to consider the risk, and the escalating costs. We have to remember that in gaming today, we are a hit-driven industry - but in the past it was different. It was odd in fact, because there was more scope for a gradual hit - everyone thought this was an easy business! Now, we're more aligned with other industries; talented producers and creators are needed, because the goalposts have shifted and we have to think about competitive business. I think in the near future, it will be increasingly like the Hollywood model - there might be a person who will fund, and a person who is the creator. In the past, the people who funded games were the actual games developers themselves, but in the future - like with movies - there might be more of a clear distinction between the people who fund and the people who create.

Kikizo: There's a bit of a trend recently to make new games with a retro style, as if they were on older hardware, such as Mega Man 9. Since you started out on the MSX, have you considered doing a title like this?

Kojima: I'm not really interested - I mean, I do like the idea of retro-styled games, or more simple games - there should be many types of game on the market. But I think I have a different role in the current market than making those kinds of titles; my role is to constantly pursue new ideas and new technology. I feel fine doing that as well, so I think I should leave the creation of retro-styled titles to others.

Kikizo: Apparently you studied economics at college - has this ever helped you in any way with game design?

Kojima: Not really! Recently, Kojima Productions was involved in the creation of a foreign currency trading game [Kabushiki Baibai Trainer Kabutore for the DS] - so I guess that kind of counts! To be honest, a lot of Japanese university students don't really study in the area they say they do for their major. Even though I say I graduated studying economics, it doesn't mean that I studied it all that much. I did study it of course, but it's a little different, the way Japanese colleges work. There's kind of a unique system where we learn many different parts of economics, marketing, or other things... English too, or even a third language - I studied Spanish. You learn more things from studying a particular area rather than strictly studying one thing.

Metal Gear Solid Touch

Kikizo: Konami recently released Metal Gear Solid Touch for iPhone and iPod Touch. What was your involvement with this title? Can you tell us what you think of iPhone gaming in general?

Kojima: I had the idea of bringing the game to the iPhone originally, but I wasn't the designer of the game. I was more of a producer, guiding the team members. We thought that since music, movies, video, phone, games, and internet all converge into just one platform, the users would be totally different; someone who buys the DS or the PSP buys it because they want to play games, but the people who buy iPhones or iPod Touches don't necessarily want to just play games. Maybe they want phone, or internet, or music, then go to play games. Kojima Productions has always created games for game platforms - DS, PSP, PS3 and so on - they were designated just for games, so it's a totally different approach. I wanted to experiment with MGS Touch and investigate the user reaction, in order to understand how we can implement our core games for a lighter audience.

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