In the early days of gaming, when 2D pixels ruled the scene, Hideo Kojima was already dreaming bigger. According to his recent comments on the After 6 Junction 2 podcast, Kojima faced resistance when proposing that video games could tell meaningful stories. Back then, publishers and developers dismissed storytelling as irrelevant, leaving Kojima and his team to fight an uphill battle to prove otherwise.
Kojima’s commitment to his vision went beyond the norm—reportedly reading over 300 books to better craft his ideas, even paying for resources out of his own pocket. His belief in merging interactivity with compelling narratives eventually led to groundbreaking titles that changed the industry forever.
Looking back, it’s fascinating to imagine how the gaming landscape might have evolved had Kojima abandoned his dream. Would storytelling in video games have reached its current heights without his early efforts?
What’s your take—how would gaming be different today without Kojima’s perseverance?