Hideo Kojima Discusses Split With Konami
"I intend to keep pushing the creative envelope until the day I die."
Hideo Kojima, the creator of the acclaimed Metal Gear series, has spoken about his time with ex-publisher Konami. In 2015, the revered director went through a public breakup from the company he'd worked with for nearly 30 years.
"I have more freedom now because the final decision comes down to me," he told BBC Radio 1's Newsbeat program. "This company is not listed on the stock exchange so we don't need to worry about pleasing investors. We can just concentrate on making good games."
In a separate interview with IGN, Kojima reflected on his career up to this point.
"The me that stands here now is the product of the past 53 years of my life," he said. "Everything I experienced over 53 years; movies I've seen, books I've read, music I've listened to, games I've played, people I've met and the 30 years spent in this industry, have formed who I am. Not one of these things has been without purpose, including my experience creating games at Konami.
"I'm embarking on a new challenge with a fresh slate, but I intend to keep pushing the creative envelope until the day I die. I believe my experiences over the past 53 years won't lead me astray."
After leaving Konami in 2015, the director founded his new development studio, Kojima Productions, as an independent company. The studio is partnering with Sony for its first project, Death Stranding.
In splitting from Konami, Kojima left behind both Metal Gear and the now-canceled Silent Hills project. His partner for that game, Guillermo del Toro, has since repeatedly said "F**k Konami." Del Toro appears in Death Stranding, but is not creatively involved.
Kojima has previously spoken about leaving Konami and his memories of his time developing Metal Gear Solid whilst there. Read his thoughts in our in-depth interview here.
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