Hideo Kojima, creator of the Metal Gear Solid series and Death Stranding, will see a UK translation of a book of essays about his inspirations and favorite movies and music published in English on October 12.
The Creative Gene: How books, movies, and music inspired the creator of Death Stranding and Metal Gear Solid - more snappily titled The Gifted Gene and My Lovable Memes in Japan - was originally published in 2019, but this is the first time an English translation will be available. As well as being treated to Kojima's thoughts on his favorite media, there's a conversation with Japanese singer-songwriter Gen Hoshino, who contributed music to Death Stranding.
In a piece for Japanese book site BookBang, Kojima shared his experiences of reading and how that tied into the book.
"The essays in this volume cover only a tiny fraction of the books and movies that I chose on my own two legs, with my own eyes, and using my own head. This selection, no this context, is what formed me as a person and thus also my work. The memes they imbued me with have given me the energy I need to exist and to create."
Meanwhile, English publisher Viz shared this synopsis with Polygon:
Ever since he was a child, Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima was a voracious consumer of movies, music, and books. They ignited his passion for stories and storytelling, and the results can be seen in his groundbreaking, iconic video games. Now the head of independent studio Kojima Productions, Kojima’s enthusiasm for entertainment media has never waned. This collection of essays explores some of the inspirations behind one of the titans of the video game industry, and offers an exclusive insight into one of the brightest minds in pop culture.
Kojima Productions recently revealed it was working on a new project, sharing the news on Twitter and posting a number of job vacancies at the studio, including for people who can create 3D models for things like "mechas."
To help kill some time until Kojima's next game release, here's a bunch of other upcoming games to check out.
