Hideo Kojima talks going into movies, animations, and new PS4 exclusive – however, that PS4 exclusive will come the PC medium as well. Kojima Productions isn’t just a video game studio, regardless if the first thing they release will be a game.
Kojima notes that their focus is on digital content – that means anything from movies, animations to video-games and probably even VR experiences. However, the company needs an established IP in games if they want to follow their dream of moving to the big pictures.
Remember that little project with Guillermo del Toro? Well, Kojima says that he still wants to work with the legendary filmmaker, even though del Toro has noted that he may be done with the video game industry entirely.
Kojima has expressed the willingness of going into virtual reality production, one day. He doesn’t know when, but he does believe it has a bright future ahead.
Clearly, Kojima Productions’ first project won’t be a VR one.
And little details are known of the company’s first project. Working alongside Yoji Shinkawa, both key-players in the gaming industry have said that they want to release a complete game – a video-game that has something that people have never seen before, but also something that gamers would expect from them.
Characters need to be more recognizable, more loved by gamers, says Shinkawa, and that’s something that comes from the art side. Visually, it is doable.
Kojima hinted that he’s not hindered by Konami’s limitations any more by adding that he – the company; has more agility with projects. They have the freedom to do more edgy titles, while at the same time preserving the quality offered since the release of the first Metal Gear Solid title.
Shinkawa will be overseeing the art direction of Kojima Productions – from background and mechs concepts, to characters and more.
Kojima Productions still hasn’t decided on what game engine they will use. While working for Konami, Kojima and his team developed the Fox Engine – an extraordinary piece of software that is capable of delivering high-quality, photorealistic graphics. But it took several years of development to have it fully functional.
Kojima doesn’t really know what the company will go with – they could very well create an engine from scratch, or choose an existing one.
The PS4 exclusive will be a timed one, as it is already planned to become available to PC gamers after the console release. The statement published by Medium has revealed that Kojima’s game won’t be released on Microsoft’s Xbox one.
Several former team members that Kojima has worked with at Konami have followed him to the new studio.
