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===1990s===
===1990s===
In {{vgy|1990}} Kojima was involved in the productions of two MSX2 games: a spinoff of ''Snatcher'' titled ''[[SD Snatcher]]''; and a sequel to ''Metal Gear'' titled ''[[Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake]]'', which further evolved the [[stealth game]] genre. The player had more abilities, such as crouching, crawling into hiding spots and air ducts, distracting guards by knocking on surfaces, and using a radar to plan ahead. The enemies had improved [[artificial intelligence|AI]], including a 45-degree field of vision, the detection of various different noises, being able to move from screen to screen, and a three-phase security alarm. The game also had improved graphics and a complex storyline dealing with themes such as the nature of [[warfare]] and [[nuclear disarmament]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Kojima's Legacy: We reflect on the influence of Hideo Kojima's 20 years in gaming|author=Mark Ryan Sallee|publisher=[[IGN]]|url=http://uk.ps2.ign.com/articles/715/715932p1.html|accessdate=2009-08-20}}</ref><ref name=GameSpy>{{cite web|author=Paul Soth|title=GOTW: Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake|publisher=[[GameSpy]]|url=http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=GameMuseum.Detail&id=31|accessdate=2009-08-27}}</ref>
In {{vgy|1990}} Kojima was involved in the productions of two MSX2 games: a spinoff of ''Snatcher'' titled ''[[SD Snatcher]]''; and a sequel to ''Metal Gear'' titled ''[[Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake]]''.


''SD Snatcher'' is an [[console role playing game|RPG]] which adapts the storyline of the original ''Snatcher'', while featuring its version of the originally planned ending. The characters are depicted in a "[[super deformed]]" art style, in contrast to the original game's realistic style. Like the original computer versions of ''Snatcher'', it was only released in Japan.
''SD Snatcher'' is an [[console role playing game|RPG]] which adapts the storyline of the original ''Snatcher'', while featuring its version of the originally planned ending. The characters are depicted in a "[[super deformed]]" art style, in contrast to the original game's realistic style. Like the original computer versions of ''Snatcher'', it was only released in Japan.

Revision as of 04:54, 24 November 2009

Hideo Kojima (小島 秀夫)
Hideo Kojima at GO3 2007 in Perth, Australia
Born (1963-08-24) August 24, 1963 (age 60)
Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
OccupationVideo game designer
WebsiteHideo Kojima's Blog Template:Ja icon

Hideo Kojima (小島 秀夫, Kojima Hideo, born August 24, 1963) is a Japanese video game designer originally employed at Konami. Formerly the vice president of Konami Computer Entertainment Japan[1], he is currently the Executive Corporate Officer Director of Kojima Productions.[2] He is the creator and director of a number of successful games, including the Metal Gear series, Snatcher, and Policenauts and also produced both the Zone of the Enders and Boktai series. Kojima is consistently named by fans and industry experts alike as being one of the most influential and innovative video game directors and writers of all time. Newsweek named Hideo Kojima as one of the top ten people of 2002.[3][4] In 2008, Next-Gen placed him #7 in their list of "Hot 100 Developer 2008."[5] In early 2009, IGN placed him sixth in their Top 100 Game Creators of All Time list.[6] He has also been awarded the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award handed to a game designer at the 2008 MTV Game Awards[7] and was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 Game Developers Conference.[8]

Early life

Born in Tokyo, Japan in 1963[1], Kojima moved to western Japan at the age of three. Kojima has said that early on in his life he often had to deal with death.[9]

When he was little the Kojima family moved to a small city called Shiraski.[9] Just as quickly, his family soon moved to Kawanishi, Hyōgo[10] in the Kansai region.[9] Kojima has noted that growing up he was a latchkey kid, often having to watch television and look after himself when he came home from school.[9] Staying at home by himself in isolation still affects him to this day stating, "[whenever] I travel and stay at a hotel I put the TV on as soon as I enter the room, just to deal with the feeling of loneliness."[9]

Initially wanting to be an artist or illustrator, he was often discouraged by societal norms of Japan which favored finding safe and well paying jobs. He was also discouraged because his uncle was also an artist but suffered from financial difficulties.[9]

He eventually started writing short stories and began to send them to Japanese magazines but was never able to get anything published. He cites that his stories were often 400 pages long while most magazines wanted their short stories to be around 100 pages.[9] Eventually he shifted his focus to making films with his friend who had an 8mm camera.[9]

Career

In an interview on G4's TV series, Icons,[11][12] Kojima describes much of his earlier career and influences for game design. Kojima grew up early in life watching movies with his parents. While studying economics in university, Kojima found himself playing video games during his free time, mainly games on the Famicom. In his fourth year in university, Kojima surprised colleagues by announcing his intentions to join the video game industry, despite initially having ambitions of becoming a film director.[13] Kojima has cited Shigeru Miyamoto's Super Mario Bros.,[10] as well as Yuuji Horii's Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken[14] as the games that inspired him to make this decision.

1980s

Kojima joined video game publisher Konami's MSX home computer division in 1986 as a designer and 'planner'. Kojima's gameplay ideas were often overlooked initially, and due to his lack of familiarity with programming was repeatedly snubbed for his failures in his initial years at Konami. At one point Kojima considered leaving the company, but stuck on.

The first game he worked on was a sequel to Antarctic Adventure, Penguin Adventure,[9] as an assistant director. The first game he actually developed was Lost Warld [sic], a platform game starring a masked female wrestler, in Template:Vgy. However, the game was ultimately rejected by Kojima's superiors at Konami.

His first released game was Metal Gear. It was released in Template:Vgy for the MSX2 home computer in Japan and parts of Europe. The game centers around a special forces operative codenamed Solid Snake, who is sent to the fortified state of "Outer Heaven" to stop a nuclear equipped walking tank known as "Metal Gear." Metal Gear is one of the earliest examples of the stealth action game genre, where avoiding encounters from the enemies is emphasized over direct combat. A port of Metal Gear was also released for the Nintendo Entertainment System through Konami's Ultra Games division. Kojima was not directly involved in the production of this version and he has openly criticized some of the changes made in this version.[15]

His next project was the graphic adventure game Snatcher, released for the NEC PC-8801 and MSX2 computer platforms in Japan in Template:Vgy. The game, heavily influenced by the movie Blade Runner, centers around an amnesiac detective who faces a race of cyborgs (the titular Snatchers) that kill their victims, copy their likeness and assume their place in society. While Kojima and his team wrote the entire story of the game, they were forced to leave out the final act of the game due to time constraints.

1990s

In Template:Vgy Kojima was involved in the productions of two MSX2 games: a spinoff of Snatcher titled SD Snatcher; and a sequel to Metal Gear titled Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, which further evolved the stealth game genre. The player had more abilities, such as crouching, crawling into hiding spots and air ducts, distracting guards by knocking on surfaces, and using a radar to plan ahead. The enemies had improved AI, including a 45-degree field of vision, the detection of various different noises, being able to move from screen to screen, and a three-phase security alarm. The game also had improved graphics and a complex storyline dealing with themes such as the nature of warfare and nuclear disarmament.[16][17]

SD Snatcher is an RPG which adapts the storyline of the original Snatcher, while featuring its version of the originally planned ending. The characters are depicted in a "super deformed" art style, in contrast to the original game's realistic style. Like the original computer versions of Snatcher, it was only released in Japan.

Due to the success of the original Metal Gear on the NES, Konami decided to create a sequel to the game, Snake's Revenge, without the involvement of Hideo Kojima. During a ride home on the train, Kojima met one of the staff member who worked on the game who asked him if he would create a "true" Metal Gear sequel.[11] As a result Kojima began plans for his own sequel titled: Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. The game was only released in Japan for the MSX2 as one of the last games Konami produced for the computer system. The game would not be released overseas in North American and Europe until its inclusion in Template:Vgy's Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence.

All of his subsequent projects after Metal Gear 2 were produced primarily for disc-based media, allowing for the inclusion of voice acting in his games. He remade Snatcher in Template:Vgy for the PC Engine Super CD-ROM². An English localization of the game was produced for the Sega CD in North America and Europe in Template:Vgy. Kojima was not directly involved in the Sega CD version nor the subsequent PlayStation and Saturn ports released in Japan in Template:Vgy.

In Template:Vgy, Kojima released Policenauts, a film noir/sci-fi-themed adventure game set in a space colony, for the NEC PC-9821. Kojima oversaw the subsequent ports released for the 3DO in Template:Vgy; and the PlayStation and Saturn in Template:Vgy, which all featured animated cut-scenes not in the PC-98 release. Despite announcements for a English release in 1996,[18] problems with synching the English dialogue with the cut-scenes stopped its production.[19] An unofficial English translation patch was released to the public at midnight (JST) on August 24 2009, to coincide with Hideo Kojima's 46th birthday.[20]

With the release of Metal Gear Solid in Template:Vgy for the PlayStation, Kojima became an international celebrity among the video game media. Metal Gear Solid was the first in the Metal Gear series to use 3D graphics and voice acting, which gave a more cinematic experience to the game. MGS was highly regarded for its well-designed gameplay and for its characters and storyline, which featured themes of nuclear proliferation and genetic engineering.

2000s

In early 2000, Kojima released the first details of the sequel to Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, for the PlayStation 2. The game's highly detailed graphics, physics, and expanded gameplay quickly made it one of the most anticipated games ever.[21][22] The game was highly successful and critically acclaimed at release, due to its graphics, gameplay and storyline, which dealt with myriad philosophical themes as specific as memes, censorship, manipulation, patricide, the inherent flaws of democracy and as grandiose as the nature of reality itself. While "MGS2" broke ground with the breadth of its subject matter, the lengthy exposition of these issues, particularly in the bewildering maze of dialogue and plot revelation in the final hours of the game, left a sour taste in the mouths of many gamers, who expected the Hollywood-style resolution of its forerunner. The game also received negative fan reaction due to the unexpected introduction of a new protagonist named Raiden, a rookie soldier, the polar opposite in place of the series' taciturn main hero, Solid Snake.

Before MGS2's release, Kojima produced the game and anime franchise Zone of the Enders in 2001 to moderate success. In 2003, he produced Boktai: The Sun Is in Your Hand for the Game Boy Advance. In this, players take the role of a young vampire hunter who uses a solar weapon which is charged by a photometric sensor on the game cartridge (forcing them to play in sunlight). Another team inside Konami (in a collaboration with Silicon Knights) began work on Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, a GameCube remake of the first Metal Gear Solid with all the gameplay features of Metal Gear Solid 2 and with cutscenes redirected by action/horror film director Ryuhei Kitamura. It was released in 2004.

Afterwards, Kojima also designed and released Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater for the PlayStation 2. Unlike the previous games in the series, which took place in the near future and focused on indoor locations, the game is set in a Russian forest area during the year 1964, and involves wilderness survival and camouflaging. The North American version was released on November 17, 2004, with the Japanese counterpart following on December 16. The European version was released on March 4 2005. Critical response to the game was highly favorable.

At that time Kojima produced on Boktai's sequel, Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django for the Game Boy Advance. Released in summer 2004, it makes more extensive use of the cartridge's sunlight sensor and allows players to combine various new solar weapons.

Also released was Metal Gear Acid for the PlayStation Portable handheld. This turn-based game is less action-oriented than the other Metal Gear games and focuses more on strategy. It was released in Japan on December 16, 2004. Its sequel Metal Gear Ac!d 2 was released on March 21, 2006.

Kojima wanted Solid Snake to appear in Super Smash Bros. Melee, but due to development cycle problems Nintendo was unable to add Snake in. When Super Smash Bros. Brawl was announced, series producer Masahiro Sakurai, contacted Kojima to work Snake into the game. Kojima also worked on Snake's stage for SSBB.[23]

Released in June 2008, Kojima co-directed Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots with Shuyo Murata.

Kojima received a lifetime achievement award at the MTV Game Awards 2008 in Germany. In his speech, he said in English, "I have to say, even though I received this award, let me state that I will not retire. I will continue to create games as long as I live."[24]

Before E3 2009, Kojima stated interest in working with a western developer.[25] This later turned out to be a collaboration between him and MercurySteam to work on Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.

Although he announced that Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots would be the last Metal Gear game he would be directly involved in,[26] he announced at E3 2009 that he would return to help on two Metal Gear games: Metal Gear Solid: Rising, as a producer and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker as writer, director and producer.[27] When interviewed at Gamescom 2009, Kojima stated that he got more involved with Peace Walker because, "there was a lot of confusion within the team and it didn't proceed as I wanted it to. Therefore I thought that I needed to jump in and do Peace Walker." [28]

He recently stated he is currently working on a new IP as well as preparing new projects. [28]

Influence from movies

Kojima's love of film is noticeable in his games where he pays homage through his stories and characters, sometimes to the point of pastiche, as in Snatcher. Snatcher is inspired by many science fiction movies, particularly from the eighties, including Blade Runner,[29] Akira,[30] The Thing, Invasion of the Body Snatchers[31] and The Terminator.[30]

Examples of influence by films include Solid Snake's codename (named after Snake from Escape from New York),[15] Snake's alias in MGS2: Plisskin (in reference to the last name of Snake Plissken from the Escape movies), Snake's real name (Dave from 2001: A Space Odyssey),[32] and Snake's trademark bandana (The Deer Hunter[33]).

Movies would also have influence on other aspects of his games. Hal "Otacon" Emmerich (named after HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey),[32] Sniper Wolf shooting Meryl in Metal Gear Solid (Full Metal Jacket),[15] Psycho Mantis (inspired from the film The Fury)[15] and the whole Metal Gear stealth concept (The Great Escape[15] and The Guns of Navarone[34]). James Bond also had a large influence on the Metal Gear series,[35] with Metal Gear Solid 3 having a James Bond-like introduction sequence.

Game Designer Mentality

In regards to storyline development and interaction with them, he said:

Storytelling is very difficult. But adding the flavour helps to relay the storytelling, meaning in a cut scene, with a set camera and effects, you can make the users feel sorrow, or make them happy or laugh. This is an easy approach, which we have been doing. That is one point, the second point is that if I make multiple storylines and allow the users to select which story, this might really sacrifice the deep emotion the user might feel; when there's a concrete storyline, and you kind of go along that rail, you feel the destiny of the story, which at the end, makes you feel more moved. But when you make it interactive - if you want multiple stories where you go one way or another - will that make the player more moved when he or she finishes the game? These two points are really the key which I am thinking about, and if this works, I think I could probably introduce a more interactive storytelling method.[36]

Works

* Denotes games that Kojima had major involvement in. Every other game are games that he only made minor contributions to.

Metal Gear series

Further information: Metal Gear (series)

Snatcher series

Tokimeki Memorial Drama series

Further information: Tokimeki Memorial (series)
  • Tokimeki Memorial Drama Series Vol. 1: Nijiiro no Seishun (1997: PlayStation, Sega Saturn) – Planner/Producer/Drama Director
  • Tokimeki Memorial Drama Series Vol. 2: Irodori no Love Song (1998: PlayStation, Sega Saturn) – Planner/Producer
  • Tokimeki Memorial Drama Series Vol. 3: Tabidachi no Uta (1999: PlayStation, Sega Saturn) – Executive Director

Zone of the Enders series

Further information: Zone of the Enders (series)

Boktai series

Further information: Boktai (series)

Castlevania series

Further information: Castlevania

Other games

  • Penguin Adventure (1986: MSX) – Assistant Director
  • Lost Warld [sic] (1986: MSX, cancelled) – Writer/Director*
  • Policenauts (1994: PC98, 1995: 3DO, 1996: Playstation, 1996: Saturn) – Writer/Director*
  • Stock Trading Trainer : Kabutore (2006: Nintendo DS) – Producer*
  • Kabushiki Baibai Trainer Kabutore! Next (2007: Nintendo DS) – Producer*
  • Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008: Wii) – Designer of Shadow Moses Island stage.
  • Twelve Tender Killers (2008: Mobile Phones) – Producer*
  • Gaitame Baibai Trainer: Kabutore FX (2009: Nintendo DS)*

Movies

Voice acting roles

References

  1. ^ a b "IGN: Hideo Kojima Biography". Retrieved 2008-03-12.
  2. ^ "Announcement of Personnel Changes (March 17, 2009)". Konami. 2009-03-17. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
  3. ^ "Mr. Kojima, Konami Videogame Designer Was Selected One Of Ten "Who's Next?" of NEWSWEEK". 2002-01-22. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  4. ^ "Newsweek Names the Men and Women of 2002: 10 to Watch". 2001-12-23. Retrieved 2008-03-13.
  5. ^ "THE NEXT-GEN HOT 100 DEVELOPERS 2008". 2008-02-19. Retrieved 2008-03-25.
  6. ^ IGN. "IGN - 6. Hideo Kojima". IGN. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
  7. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYWCCRXTeaQ
  8. ^ "GDC 09: Kojima To Receive Lifetime Achievement Award". 2009-02-17. Retrieved 2009-06-02.}
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Hideo Kojima Versus the Big Robots". EDGE Magazine (136): 69–74. 2004-04-22.
    An unofficial transcription is available on metalgearsolid.org [1]
  10. ^ a b Hall, Kenji (2009-05-06). "Hideo Kojima: Gaming's Designer-in-Chief". Business Week. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  11. ^ a b "ICONS: Hideo Kojima - Metal Gear Solid". Retrieved 2008-03-13.
  12. ^ "G4TV Icons Hideo Kojima". Retrieved 2008-03-13.
  13. ^ Steven Kent (2003-05-18). "Hideo Kojima Interview: Konami's master game designer talks about the Metal Gear series and where games are going". Retrieved 2008-03-12.
  14. ^ Kasavin, Greg (2005-03-21). ""Everything is Possible": Inside the Minds of Gaming's Master Storytellers". GameSpot. p. 2. Retrieved 2007-08-15.
  15. ^ a b c d e Steven Kent. "Hideo Kojima: Game Guru, Movie Maniac". Archived from the original on 2005-11-03. Retrieved 2008-03-13.
  16. ^ Mark Ryan Sallee. "Kojima's Legacy: We reflect on the influence of Hideo Kojima's 20 years in gaming". IGN. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
  17. ^ Paul Soth. "GOTW: Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake". GameSpy. Retrieved 2009-08-27.
  18. ^ "Konami: Policenauts for Saturn". Konami. Archived from the original on 1996-11-09. Retrieved 2009-08-11. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |datemonth= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |dateyear= ignored (help)
  19. ^ Policenauts: Official Guide. pp. 118–122. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |ibsn= ignored (help)
  20. ^ Junker HQ - Release: 8/23/09, 12 PM EDT
  21. ^ Kasavin, Greg (2001-11-13). "Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
  22. ^ IGN Staff (2001-11-28). "Metal Gear Solid 2 Sells-In 1.8 Million". IGN. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
  23. ^ "Super Smash Bros. Brawl revealed for Wii, featuring Solid Snake!". 2006-05-10. Retrieved 2008-03-13.
  24. ^ Nelson, Randy (2008-11-24). "Hideo Kojima receives lifetime achievement award from MTV". Joystiq. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  25. ^ "Hideo Kojima: The Kikizo Interview 2009". Kikizo. 2009-04-15. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  26. ^ Doree, Adam (2008-08-24). "Hideo Kojima: The Kikizo Interview 2008". Kikizo. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  27. ^ "PSP-only MGS slated for 2010 release; four-player co-op hinted". GameSpot. 2009-06-02. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  28. ^ a b Robinson, Martin (2009-08-20). "GC 2009: Hideo Kojima Q&A". IGN. Retrieved 2009-08-20. Cite error: The named reference "gamescon2009_ign" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  29. ^ Blade Runner's Influence on Videogames from 1UP.com
  30. ^ a b Great Games – Snatcher | GameCritics.com
  31. ^ Snatcher Review
  32. ^ a b The Making of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty DVD packaged with European version of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
  33. ^ "「MGSシリーズに影響を与えた偉大なる15の映画作品」特集 - 2" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2009-08-07. それまでとは違った視点からベトナム戦争を描いたマイケル・チミノ監督の出世作。スネークのバンダナは「ランボー」から来ていると思われているが、実はこの映画のデ・ニーロから来ている Template:Ja icon
  34. ^ "「MGSシリーズに影響を与えた偉大なる15の映画作品」特集 - 1" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2009-08-07. メタルギアのゲームコンセプトである「潜入ミッション」というイメージの元になったアリステア・マクリーン原作による戦争冒険映画の名作。まさに孤立無援で敵要塞に潜入、不可能を可能にする男達の物語。 Template:Ja icon
  35. ^ "「MGSシリーズに影響を与えた偉大なる15の映画作品」特集 - 3" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2009-08-07. メタルギア誕生に最も影響を受けたのは、諜報アクション映画である007シリーズ。ショーン・コネリー演じる初代ボンドの作品の中で最も娯楽性に富んでいるのがこの作品。のちのボンド映画の手本となった。 Template:Ja icon
  36. ^ "Hideo Kojima: The Kikizo Interview 2008 (Page 3)". Kikizo. 2008-08-24. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
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