Entertainment
Kojima rejects ‘ridiculously high’ acquisition offers to stay independent-Michael Beckwith-Entertainment – Metro
On his most recent podcast, Kojima admits he’s received multiple acquisition offers, and refutes rumours of his cancelled Stadia game.
This is all so Hideo Kojima (pic: Kojima Productions)
On his most recent podcast, Kojima admits he’s received multiple acquisition offers, and refutes rumours of his cancelled Stadia game.
Given his close working relationship with Sony, there was speculation at one point that Hideo Kojima’s studio, Kojima Productions, would be next in line to be absorbed into the company.
That didn’t happen, though, with Kojima saying at the time that his studio will remain purely independent.
More recently, he’s not only reiterated this pledge, but also revealed that he has routinely received ‘ridiculously high’ offers to sell his studio, all of which he’s rejected.
Kojima doesn’t name any specific companies, but this does confirm that there are enough out there eager to bring Kojima and his team into their personal fold.
However, Kojima states that he wants to only make games he’s interested in making, something he’d likely be unable to do if another company like Sony or Microsoft was calling all the shots.
Kojima’s partnership with Microsoft comes from his interest in cloud gaming (pic: Microsoft)
‘Let me reiterate that we are indies,’ he said on the most recent episode of his Brain Structure podcast. ‘We have no affiliations whatsoever and we are not backed by anyone.
‘And every day I am approached by offers all over the world to buy our studio. Some of those offers are ridiculously high prices but it’s not that I want money. I want to make what I want to make. That’s why I created this studio.
‘So as long as I’m alive, I don’t think I will ever accept those offers.’
Although he never directly references it, Kojima’s decision is likely influenced by his time working at Konami, where his Silent Hills project was cancelled, and his name was removed from the packaging for Metal Gear Solid 5.
Death Stranding – Kojima was rumoured to have had a Stadia game that was cancelled, but he’s now denied it (pic: Sony)
As an independent, Kojima has the freedom to partner with whoever he likes. While the eventual Death Stranding sequel will likely be another PlayStation exclusive, Kojima is also able to work on an Xbox project.
It was suggested that, at one point, he was working with Google on a Stadia exclusive as well, but it was ultimately cancelled. However, in the same podcast, Kojima addressed the claim and said that it’s completely false – or at least that it didn’t have anything to do with Death Stranding.
‘The rumour that Death Stranding, moreover a sequel, was in the works to be an exclusive title for Google, is unfounded, and Phil Harrison ultimately rejecting that is quite impossible,’ he said.
‘I’ve never once said anything to Phil about wanting to create a Death Stranding sequel. I don’t know who pulled this kind of information from where.’
The fact that he mentions former Stadia boss Phil Harrison by name does suggest he spoke to them about something though.
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As for what his next project is, Kojima is being typically cryptic about it and has spent more time teasing who he’s got to star in it than talking about the game.
One of the mystery posters had fans speculating that Japanese-Australian actress Shioli Kutsuna would be among the cast, and Kojima has recently confirmed that to be the case.
She will also be starring alongside Elle Fanning, but it remains unclear if this is all for Kojima’s rumoured Overdose horror game or something else entirely.
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