Hideo Kojima: ‘Victory Isn’t Defeating Your Enemies, But Protecting Life’

Hideo Kojima is the creator of the Metal Gear Series, the world-renowned action-adventure stealth video game. Kojima was recently featured in a recent article on the Rolling Stone and he talks about how the influences in his life had a direct effect on the Metal Gear Series. It’s a lengthy article with heaps of detail and insight on Kojima and Metal Gear. However, for those of you who just want the gist of it, we’ve got you covered.

Kojima first received a request from the top of the corporate food chain to create a ‘war game’. Bear in mind that this was back in 1987, by the way. The technology to recreate an actually interactable warzone in a pixelated screen just didn’t exist.

This prompted Kojima to include the ‘stealth’ element to the game. Therefore players were fighting a different kind of war. They weren’t going in, guns blazing and shooting up everything in sight. No, the players had to think about the fighting and bloodshed in order to win the game.

The creator said that this element was influenced by the movie The Great Escape (1963). The movie was based on a true story during the WWII period. Despite being set in a war era, the movie was very ‘anti-war’. The prisoners used cunning tactics and roundabout ways to confuse the German soldiers in order to escape. Hence, the name, The Great Escape. That being said, with this movie being the main inspiration for Kojima’s games, you can see why stealth became an important aspect of the Metal Gear Series.

Anti-Nuclear Weapons and Anti-War

Kojima had very strong views against nuclear weapons and war because of his upbringing. His parents had seen the destruction that was WWII and they told him stories from firsthand experience. He said,

“My generation grew up listening to their firsthand accounts of war, and we also learned of the wretchedness and absurdity of war and nuclear weapons from the movies and books around us.”

He also stated that if video games can promote “competition” and “fighting” then it should be able to promote and “anti-war” and “anti-nuclear weapons” message.

Death Stranding

Kojima’s latest project is the much anticipated Death Stranding. Featuring actors Norman Reedus and Mads Mikkelsen. At first glance, the game looks pretty messed up. There’s a scene of Reedus hugging a baby and Mikkelsen bleeding out of his eyes? I don’t know what that’s about but I want more!

It’s unique, graphically enhanced and according to Kojima and Sony Interactive’s chairman, Shawn Layden– it’s going to be revolutionary.

Death Stranding is not about competition, it’s about human bonds. Kojima says,

“We don’t need a game about dividing players between winners and losers, but about creating connections at a different level.”

And what I deciphered from Kojima’s words is that he wants to make a movie whilst maintaining the essence of fun in playing games. He wants to achieve what The Great Escape managed to do 40 years ago and more recently, what the movie, Dunkirk, has managed to do. Except in video games.

That’s all we have for you, if you want the full detailed article by Hideo Kojima himself, check it out here. Happy Gaming!