Kojima's film influences became obvious in 1998's Metal Gear: Solid. The PlayStation hit was a 3D update to Hideo Kojima's earlier Metal Gear games, which were released on 8-bit computers like the MSX. The game stunned audiences with its visual atmosphere, orchestral soundtrack and dramatic dialogue that set the bar for future triple-A action games. With each new entry into the Metal Gear franchise, Kojima pushed for longer and longer cutscenes, which divided gamers' opinions and gave the designer a reputation for sacrificing gameplay for narrative. Many critics asked the rhetorical question, "Why doesn't Kojima just make movies?"

Kojima was fired from his decades-long career at Konami in 2015. Upon announcing his own studio, fans wondered if the eccentric game designer would be able to create a coherent game now that Konami's executives weren't there to reel him in when he got too creative. The studio's first release, Death Stranding, doesn't seem to have provided a definitive answer, with some critics praising the game and others characterizing it as a glorified fetch-quest. Fans can get their hands on the game when it launches later this week.

It's hard to tell how serious Kojima was when making the comment to the BBC. His quote, "in the future, Kojima Productions will start making films," is pretty vague, after all. He didn't elaborate on how he would approach filmmaking, whether the studio would focus on CGI animations or live-action productions or how a film project could affect game projects. It could very well be the case that, whether or not he's ready to walk the walk, Kojima was just voicing his desire to make movies. Either way, it's unlikely that anything will materialize for years to come.

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