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Kojima on why he partnered with Sony (translation of French interview)

univbee

Member
Ditch me naked on a beach full of dead sealife tethered to a baby if old.

http://www.gameblog.fr/news/59881-hideo-kojima-nous-explique-pourquoi-il-a-choisi-playstation

I translated the first part.

Gameblog: Why did you choose Sony as a partner for the first project of your new studio, Kojima Productions?

Hideo Kojima: I'll admit I received numerous offers. But for our first title, I wanted to ensure that we would be under the best conditions. I've maintained for a while now a wonderful relationship with Sony, with absolute trust between us, which allows me to focus on the creative aspects. Working with another partner would definitely have required more time on the non-game development tasks. It would have taken time for contract negotiations, and I don't think things would have happened as quickly as they have to date. Working with Sony also afforded me a lot of freedom, and their support has been exceptional.

For example, if this had been with a "normal" company, right now, I'd be preparing a pitch for my game, we'd be looking for financing, explaining what we wanted to do. Like with a Kickstarter.

With Sony, of course I have to explain my plan to them, but they immediately told me "go for it, do you what you have to do." They offered me their trust. All the energy that would have gone into the project pitch, I could focus it on the creation of the project itself. That makes a real difference.
 
Sony is Sony. They are cool, they get videogames and quality.

It's nice to hear this reconfirmed. Kojima needs freedom, he needs money and Sony will give him a shit load of it.
 

Relativ9

Member
This is going to be fantastic, even if it's a disaster it'll be the most awkwardly charming and entertaining disaster ever.
 

Raylan

Banned
With Sony, of course I have to explain my plan to them, but they immediately told me "go for it, do you what you have to do." They offered me their trust. All the energy that would have gone into the project pitch, I could focus it on the creation of the project itself. That makes a real difference.

GkCy1lE.jpg
 

Cess007

Member
Andrew House went on stage just to introduce him....
It's obvious there is a lot of trust and mutual respect.

They frigging lift the curtain and draw a path from Kojima to descent upon us. I wonder if they how close they were to drop to their knees and praise him? :p
 

Wollan

Member
Kojima walking onstage with the Mad Max music playing was the best moment. I believe he would marry that movie if he could.
 

Raylan

Banned
He wants to relase the game on PC, so it is better this way.
Well, he can. His next game DEATH STRANDED is a Sony IP. Sony owns the IP, but the game will still see a PC release (my guess is he will get all the $$$ of the PC sales).
 

cheezcake

Member
The guy is a Sony fanboy. I don't think anyone expected him to partner with anyone else but Sony.

Well I mean, he has a longer history with Sony, both are based in Japan, the PS4 install base is over double the competition right now. If I was starting a new game dev company with ambitions as high as his going first party to start off with is a smart move. Literally everything about it makes perfect sense. And this coming from someone who would desperately like Death Stranding to come to PC.
 

The Lamp

Member
This is typical of Sony and it's one of their best features.

Imagine the sales pitch for Horizon. Many other companies would have raised eyebrows at having a violent, primal female protagonist. Or hell, The Last Guardian. I would surmise that the idea of playing a boy with a birdbeast would make Ubi and EA executives yawn.
 
This was obvious from the way Andrew house was beaming from ear to ear when announcing the partnership.

Likewise when he introduced him on stage.

I would not be at all surprised if he personally had a hand in all this.

Actually in fact I'd go farther than that. Id say he personally mandated that this had to happen.
 

Daria

Member
Just what I wanted to say.

It's cool to hear about all of that, but I hope it won't bite them in the ass in the end.

Why would it? MGS is done, this is his first new IP, which is weird as hell, but it's still a Kojima game. The name alone is what gives Sony the ability to trust him so much and it's the same name that'll bring a ton of fans over to the DS stage.

The game has to be open-world, possibly apocalypse which with Kojima behind will be a frightening thing.
 
Well I mean, he has a longer history with Sony, both are based in Japan, the PS4 install base is over double the competition right now. If I was starting a new game dev company with ambitions as high as his going first party to start off with is a smart move. Literally everything about it makes perfect sense. And this coming from someone who would desperately like Death Stranding to come to PC.

Going with the leader isn't always a smart move.
 

Slime

Banned
Hope he's able to stay independent. Sony takes full ownership of IP when studios formally partner with them, and it would be sad to see Kojima lose even more of his creations.
 
Wow, so he doesnt even need to pitch his game to them? He just...starts on it? As awesome and more talented as Kojima is than me, even a chump like me wouldnt let him do that. Thats an enormous amount of trust.

I wonder what a game from a fully unchained Kojima will be like. Has he ever been completely free like this before?
 

Bishop89

Member
its one of this industries greatest relationships. They are the perfect fit for each other.


I cant remember if this was true or not, but didnt he get special previews of the sony consoles prior to their release, or something like that.
 

Ridley327

Member
Well I mean, he has a longer history with Sony, both are based in Japan, the PS4 install base is over double the competition right now. If I was starting a new game dev company with ambitions as high as his going first party to start off with is a smart move. Literally everything about it makes perfect sense. And this coming from someone who would desperately like Death Stranding to come to PC.

Good news!
 

Blam

Member
That's an unreal level of trust Sony has on them, but it makes sense Kojima's group has been responsible for some pretty good games.
 

Zophar

Member
This is the kind of relationship Sony has with their talent. Fumito Ueda (prior to his departure) and Kazunori Yamauchi in particular have a similar freedom for their projects, I imagine. It's also evident in the unique autonomy their first party studios exhibit.
 
Well I mean, he has a longer history with Sony, both are based in Japan, the PS4 install base is over double the competition right now. If I was starting a new game dev company with ambitions as high as his going first party to start off with is a smart move. Literally everything about it makes perfect sense. And this coming from someone who would desperately like Death Stranding to come to PC.
This and Sony has been there for him and Konami for the beginning unlike any other publisher weather MS,Nintendo or PC.
 

Neff

Member
Anyone who could have afforded it would have bent over backwards to work with him and he knows it.
 

Sjefen

Member
Not many devs have this amount of freedom, Kojima working without any creative restrictions is very exciting. I hope Sony and Kojima can continue this relationships for a long time.
 

Nabbis

Member
Either they took a big risk or they know behind the scenes stuff on what happened between Kojima and Konami. I don't think they would have taken this aproach if Kojima really was a drama queen.
 
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