Hideo Kojima may be done with Metal Gear as a whole.
In an interview with Ssense, writer Kevin Nguyen reported this:
This summer, Konami, mining its existing IP, will release a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, created with no involvement from Kojima. (When I asked if he will play it, Kojima laughed and said, “No, I won’t.”)
Why Would Hideo Kojima Care About Metal Gear?
Hideo Kojima made his name in the industry with the Metal Gear games. The franchise started with Metal Gear in 1987 on the MSX2, and it became a standout on that personal computer platform, as well as Nintendo’s Family Computer / Nintendo Entertainment System. However, 1998’s Metal Gear Solid on the PlayStation made it a groundbreaking video game franchise.
Kojima led development and game design of the Metal Gear franchise for nearly three decades. Along the way, he even ascended Konami’s ranks to become a member of its board of directors. However, Kojima left Konami in 2015, in a famous falling out that played out in public amid rumors and speculation.
The situation was so bad that Kojima was banned from attending that year’s The Game Awards. But as we now know, he would launch a new Kojima Productions as its own independent game company, and return to the industry by making Death Stranding for the PlayStation 4.
This Is What’s Changed For Hideo Kojima
Kojima also talked about Kojima Productions and Death Stranding 2 in this new interview. Kojima said this when he was asked why he made a sequel:
It’s my IP. Death Stranding is actually my IP, Kojima Productions’ IP. I wanted to leave my IP in the future.
Kojima elaborated further that he was thinking of his business side, and not really his creative side:
Even during [my days at] Konami, I was thinking about the business side as well. That’s one of the reasons I continued Metal Gear.
What Does This Say About Kojima’s Relationship With Metal Gear Today?
Kojima’s statements imply he has moved on from the Metal Gear franchise as a whole. He clearly values Death Stranding, not just as a creative work, but as one that he owns.
It seems comparable to how Jack Kirby, who created substantial parts of both Marvel’s and DC’s universes, would later talk about how he valued the characters and comics he owned, particularly Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers, and Silver Star. Kirby changed the history of independent comics when he published these works, and Kojima certainly continues to impact the industry with his current games.
