Kojima explains why he decided to make a new action-espionage game
After a seven year hiatus, a new episode of Kojima’s HideoTube was released today, in which the creator discussed his upcoming projects. He was joined by Risa Unai (Guest Host), and Kenjiro Tsuda (the Japanese voice of Sam in Death Stranding). During the show they talked about the various projects the studio is working on, including a Death Stranding movie, the game’s sequel and the newly revealed action-espionage game codenamed Physint.
While Kojima couldn’t elaborate much further beyond what was said during the game’s reveal, he did explain his reasons to make this game.
“So why did I decide to make this? Well, first off, because I became independent, I wanted to do something new with my own IP. So to challenge myself, I first made DS. Then, to create a franchise, I made DS2. And I wanted to do something even newer, so I started working on OD. And since then, there have been a lot of new ideas. But in the last eight years, every day on social media, from users all around the world, people have been asking me to create another Metal Gear and stuff like that. Then, I fell ill in 2020. It was also during the pandemic, so I was sick and isolated during all of it. I even had surgery. And I thought, “I can’t anymore.” I was at my lowest and felt like I couldn’t go back to making games. I wrote a will, too. And in that moment, I realized that people die. But, I turned 60 last year. I’ll turn 70 in ten years. I hope to never retire. Having said that, if the users desire it so much, I thought I should change my priorities a bit. I still want to do new things, but I decided to make an action-espionage game. I get many requests from Hollywood to make films, but I’ve refused them. Because I have my own company now, I can’t leave for 1 or 2 years to go make a movie. The company would collapse. I was in a tough spot. And I talked to Guillermo del Toro about it. And he said, “Hideo, what you’re making is already a movie. Keep going as you are.” His words saved me. And since we’ll be working with many creators in the business, though the output is a game, it won’t be too different from movies.”
Regarding this comparison to movies, which he also mentioned during the title’s reveal, Kojima said: “Of course, it will be a game. However, if your mother walks in and sees you playing this game, she’ll think you’re watching a movie.”
Earlier in the show, Kojima commented on some of the things shown in the Death Stranding 2: On The Beach trailer that was revealed during the latest PlayStation State of Play, while he and his guests watched it again. He said that the ship the crew is on, the Magellan, can travel underground, through the tar. Once the chiral network is set up, you can call the ship and it’s able to move freely in those areas.
You travel with the puppet while communicating with it, and as you play the game you will learn why he became that way. Kojima had the framerate lowered for this character to make it resemble stop-motion animation.
As we saw in the trailer, the terrain can change in real time during the game. Kojima said there are earthquakes, forest fires and floods, which can cause roads to be cut off.
The trailer also shows Sam putting down his backpack so he can fight more easily. You can pick it up again afterwards.
Kojima said Troy Baker’s character Higgs will be doing a lot of singing. Both Troy Baker and the Japanese voice actor for the character are good singers, according to Kojima.
Recording for the Japanese dub will begin this year, probably in the spring.
On the subject of OD, Kojima was not able to say a whole lot, but he did mention that Jordan Peele, who is collaborating on the project, is just one of a whole list of ‘avengers’ that have yet to be revealed (and aren’t set in stone yet). Meaning, there will be other big names collaborating on the game. “When we reveal these names, my name will be completely forgotten!”, Kojima said.
You can watch the entire 50 minute episode below, or on Youtube.
Source: Kojima Productions Youtube
