Shortly after another Japanese luminary spoke of the , Hideo Kojima, during a press conference announcing [via Kotaku] the completion of development of Metal Gear Solid, discussed the state of the game industry and how the Japanese domination of the industry is evaporating.
One of the main issues he addressed was the rise of casual gaming. It’s clearly very prominent in Japan, particularly given the success of cell phone games in that marketplace, and it seems to weigh on the mind of Kojima:
“Casual games have become mainstream in the industry,” he declared. “It’s not just a Japanese phenomenon but also something that’s happening worldwide. There are new markets and possibilities opening up thanks to the trend, which is great. But on the other hand, we shouldn’t forget about the hardcore gamers whose lives are about videogames. The gamers who consider video games a subculture, and enjoy taking their time to sit down and play games that gives them energy and courage. I wanted to remind those gamers about the fun of video games. I know that we’re going against the trend, but we’ve been working hard for the past four years so that the fire [of non-casual games] won’t blow out.”
Though he concedes that production of games might be better “overseas,” he doesn’t seem content to take this development lying down.
“I believe that video games are a form of synthesized art that evolves by adapting new technologies,” continued Kojima. “It’s a business, so there are difficult decisions, but when you think about the future of video games, I think that you need to take some risks to move on forward. Once you halt, it’s really hard to go [back on track] and take steps forward. Unfortunately, overseas game production companies, which are well-funded and extremely skilled, have surpassed us by a couple of steps. It was once said that Japan molded the world’s video game [industry], but that’s becoming a thing of the past. Sad as it may be, it’s the truth.”
Ever hopeful, Kojima has his fingers crossed that his new edition of the Metal Gear saga will restore interest in hardcore video games:
“We developed MGS4 for fans that love Metal Gear. But at the same time, I was creating it with some hopes to stir a revival of [non-casual] videogames.”
Don’t worry, Kojima, you’ll always have a place in our hearts. But maybe you should develop a Metal Gear Solid for the iPhone just in case.
Leave a Reply