Hideo Kojima Gets Around - Puts Buddy Cop Game On Hold

https://variety.com/2019/gaming/new...randing-tribeca-film-festival-1203166722/amp/


Game designer Hideo Kojima is talking about his latest project, the action title “Death Stranding,” at the Tribeca Film Festival next month, the event’s organizers announced on Tuesday.


Kojima is joined by “The Walking Dead” star Norman Reedus, who appears in the game. The pair will discuss pushing the boundaries of the video game medium and how their relationship has evolved while working on the project together. The Game Awards executive producer Geoff Keighley is moderating the talk. It takes place on Thursday, Apr. 25 at 6 p.m. ET at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center.


Kojima’s love of film is well-known, and he told Varietyin a June interview he tends to watch one or more movies a day. With “Death Stranding,” he said he wants to balance authorship with entertainment. “Sometimes I see very artistic movies, independent films, but I do want to a go to a midpoint so that people who enjoy indie films and Marvel films can both enjoy this game,” he said.
 


GameSpot: The last time we spoke was at DICE 2016, and at that time I asked what the biggest misconception people have of you is, and you said that people think it takes you too long to make games, and you said that's not true. Looking at the scope of Death Stranding, I'm impressed that it's already ready to be released, and I'm curious if you did anything notably different this time around?

Hideo Kojima: Don't get me wrong, I'm always quick. It's like, three years? I can't really say anything about Sony right now...maybe it will take 8 years, or maybe 10 years for first-party titles, like Nintendo as well. Cyberpunk has probably been worked on for more than 8 years. I've created in three years. When I was creating Metal Gear Solid 5, I needed more time because I had to produce the engine, as well as produce other titles.

So, if you looked back at the interviews three or four years ago, I'm as consistent as I said about game design... I'm kind of very efficient in the way I make games in a short time. Every day, every hour, I decide right or left. I won't say, "I'll think about it" or "let's think about it," I make a decision on the spot. So, that's one reason I don't outsource so much because you have to answer emails and wait for answers, that's why I do it in house as much as possible.

One of the reasons it's fast is because I do all the planning, design, and produce, and that kind of forces me to make quick decisions. There's no time lag. Like other developers might have different people doing boss battles, and different people doing the cutscenes--it's a bit chaotic when they have to pull everything together. But our team is only about 80 people, usually other big teams are 300 or 600. So that's what--with the short amount of time and [fewer] amount of people, and the direct feedback I give--allows me to make this game in this time.