In a recent interview, Hideo Kojima revealed that after his split with Konami, he couldn’t get money or an office.
In a lengthy conversation with The Guardian, the Metal Gear Solid creator revealed that after he split with Konami in 2015, he was put into a difficult position as an independent entity. He explains while trying to set up what is now Kojima Productions: “The bank wouldn’t lend me any money. And when I tried to lease a floor in this building, they told me that now I was independent. It was as if I was yet to create anything. That’s when I thought, ‘Oh, I really am indie.”
Luckily though, Kojima’s name still held power despite the lack of backing from a major publisher. One of the owners of the building Kojima Productions now resides in was a fan of his games and stepped in to offer a rental agreement. It all worked out too, as Kojima Productions has one of the most striking and futuristic development spaces in the world.
Finding that space allowed the team to go on to create Death Stranding, and reaffirm Kojima as a serious developer even without Konami. Kojima Productions is now working on its second independent title, reportedly called Overdose, with Kojima making hints that it stars Margaret Qualley.
Of course, the split with Konami was not without casualties, as it infamously canceled Kojima's Silent Hills, which was set to star Norman Reedus. However, like Kojima finding his place as an independent entity, it seems to have worked out as Konami has just announced several Silent Hill projects, including Silent Hil 2 remake and Silent Hill f, a take on the franchise set in 1960s Japan.
Rumour has it that Kojima’s next game is a horror too, so even those holding out for a scary title from the developer look like they could soon be satisfied.
If you’re looking for something spooky to play this Halloween, why not check out our list of the best Horror games?
