Hideo Kojima to venture into film production
“Games, films and dramas will have to compete in the same space,” Death Stranding director said
Hideo Kojima has revealed that his company, Kojima Productions, will turn to filmmaking going forward.
Talking to BBC Newsbeat in a documentary about the making of Death Stranding, Kojima said: "In the future, Kojima Productions will start making films. If you can do one thing well then you can do everything well."
Though the latter part of the quote seemed to have been said as a joke, the overall statement doesn't really come as a surprise considering the cinematic dimensions of Kojima's games.
However, this seems to mark a shift in the game creator's perspective, as a few months back he told the Financial Times that he was regularly receiving requests to direct films but was always declining them.
He said: "People who first came into contact with stories through games, or found out about the profession through games, are now making films. I find that fascinating because I am the opposite: I came to films first but now I make games."
The lines between games and films are increasingly blurred, which leaves a space to claim for creators such as Kojima.
"I think within the next few years, gaming will move on to streaming. Movies, dramas and games will all be streamed and you'll enjoy them on your iPad or iPhone or a screen anytime, anywhere," Kojima told BBC Newsbeat.
"When that happens, games, films and dramas will have to compete in the same space. I'm very interested in the new format of game that will appear on there and that's what I want to take on."
When it comes to casting for his future films, Kojima has already established relationships with numerous prominent stars. The upcoming Death Stranding features performances by Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen and Léa Seydoux, among others.
Death Stranding is hitting shelves this Friday, November 8, with reviews so far hinting at a game both incredibly frustrating and absolutely thrilling.