In a surprising revelation at the end of January, Hideo Kojima made headlines by announcing his return to the action-espionage genre, a realm he had previously dominated with the Metal Gear series.
Alongside the development of Death Stranding 2, Kojima revealed his latest project, Physint, slated for the PlayStation 5.
Shedding light on the motivations behind this decision, Kojima shared insights in a recent episode of his HideoTube web series. He recounted how a period of illness and subsequent surgery, coupled with reflections on mortality, prompted him to “reassess his priorities” and heed the long-standing requests of fans.
In the hour-long episode, Kojima delved into his journey since departing Konami and establishing Kojima Productions. He expressed his initial desire to venture into new creative territories with Death Stranding, followed by the pursuit of establishing it as a franchise with Death Stranding 2.
Despite exploring innovative concepts with projects like OD, Kojima acknowledged the persistent demand from fans for another Metal Gear installment over the past eight years.
However, it wasn’t until Kojima’s health struggles amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 that these requests took on a deeper significance. Recalling his ordeal, he shared, “I was sick and isolated during all of it. I even had surgery. And I thought, ‘I can’t anymore.'”
Confronted with his mortality and inspired by the fervent fan base, Kojima decided to pivot his focus towards fulfilling their desires, albeit while still pursuing his penchant for innovation.
Physint, described by Kojima as the culmination of his creative endeavors, was previously teased during its PlayStation State of Play reveal. While Kojima is currently occupied with Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and the Microsoft-backed OD, he has provided glimpses into what to expect from Physint.
Describing it as an “interactive game” with cinematic qualities encompassing visuals, narrative, characters, and sound, Kojima hinted at its potential to blur the lines between gaming and cinematic experiences.
Expanding on this notion in his latest HideoTube episode, Kojima emphasized the cinematic quality of Physint, likening it to a movie. He remarked, “If your mother walks in and sees you playing this game, she’ll think you’re watching a movie. I’m not sure how far we can take it yet.”
With ambitions to transcend the boundaries between film and video games, Kojima’s vision for Physint is ambitious, leaving fans eager to witness its realization, even if the journey to its release may be lengthy.
