Metal Gear and Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima recently echoed Tom Cruise’s sentiments about his future, saying: "I want to keep creating things until I die."
Since beginning his career at Konami in 1986, Kojima has developed numerous games, including Snatcher, the innovative GBA title Boktai with its sunlight mechanics, and the notorious P.T. demo. In a recent interview focused on his latest game, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Game*Spark asked Kojima about his drive and why he continues to make games.
“I’m just like Tom Cruise (laughs),” he said. “My life has been about creating. That’s my joy. I want to keep creating as long as my body and mind still work. I’ll consider stopping only if it starts to burden the people around me—but I plan to keep creating until I die.”
Hideo Kojima says he shares one thing in common with Tom Cruise. Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Kojima Productions.
By comparing himself to Cruise, Kojima is likely referencing the actor’s recent remarks at the premiere of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning. On the red carpet, Cruise told The Hollywood Reporter he has no plans to stop making films—even joking that he intends to keep going into his 100s.
Speaking of films, in his conversation with Game*Spark, Kojima didn’t mention making games specifically—he said creating. This hints that he’s open to venturing beyond games in the future. In a recent video interview with French media outlet Brut, Kojima revealed that, depending on how Kojima Productions fares after finishing Microsoft’s OD and Sony’s Physint, he’d like to make a movie.
With their lengthy cutscenes and cinematic style, some have argued that many of Kojima’s games already feel like movies (we’ve even calculated precisely how much of each Kojima game consists of cutscenes). Yet in his Game\*Spark interview, Kojima clarified that while his games are inspired by films, his primary focus is always on making a game.“I grew up watching movies, so they influence lighting, character modeling, direction, and more—but I’m always aware that I’m not making a film. My core approach is to explore what only a game can do, including a sense of playful experimentation,” he said.
Kojima’s playful spirit shows up in the unexpected cameos and quirky Easter eggs scattered throughout his games, especially if you explore off the beaten path. Check out our list of Death Stranding 2 Easter eggs, cheats, and secrets we’ve uncovered so far, or discover the strange things you can make Sam do in the hot springs.
Of course, Kojima is already linked to a film: the adaptation of Death Stranding itself, which Norman Reedus has said he’d love to star in.
