Kojima talks about creating story in games: I’m not very interested in the multi-ending story technique

Kojima is not a fan of putting multiple endings in a game, he said in the online series The Game Makers, created by The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.

“There’s the multi-ending story technique and that’s a technique I’m not very interested in. I hope to make video games where the player’s destiny is set, and it’s really a matter of how the player takes the initiative. Using their willpower, courage and wisdom, to move the story forward.”

“In that context, the player joins forces with other users and build bridges and makes connections in the storytelling. That’s what I hope to create, and that’s something I’m currently thinking a lot about.”

In the first episode, on story development, Kojima explains how he tries to make story and gameplay move simultaneously.

“Unlike movies or novels, video games are an interactive media. It’s a matter of how well you can tell the story in a way that the player becomes one with it. This is very difficult, but it’s the most interesting part of the job. The player feels this, following the storytelling and simultaneously moving forward in the gameplay. The story can’t jump ahead, and the game can’t jump ahead either, so you keep those consistent while you get the player to become a part of the story. It’s a feeling of immersion that’s not possible with other media. That’s what I work the hardest at when I’m creating a game.”

For Kojima, writing the story is an ongoing process as details change and adapt during the different phases of development.

“First of all, I get the gameplay and story details clear in my head. There are certain aspects that are difficult for the player to connect, or things they can’t wrap their head around where the game doesn’t go as expected, or I need to change things based on monitoring. Sometimes I end up not being able to create a scene that I thought was going to be possible through software. So after that, I redirect the details of the game accordingly. Adjusting the storyline as I create the game, or adjusting the character details, day by day until the game is finished.”

You can watch the entire 10 episode series on Youtube, Kojima appears in several episodes.

Source: The Game Makers: Inside Story