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Japanese game designer Hideo Kojima met up with The Games Awards host Geoff Keighley in a new podcast episode titled "The truths behind internet rumors!?"
One of the main topics of conversation was Kojima's relationship with major corporations like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo, as well as his affiliations with them as an independent studio.
He then revealed that he has received offers from all over the world. Hideo Kojima explained that he chose to refuse "ridiculously high prices" to buy out his studio, so that he "could make what he wanted to make." He stated:
"And everyday, I am approached by offers from 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."
Hideo Kojima talks about getting offers for his studio, says he won't accept those as long as he's alive
Timestamp: 27:40
At the 25-minute mark of the podcast, Geoff Keighley wanted to know Hideo Kojima's take on various rumors surrounding Kojima Productions collaborating with first-party studios:
"But maybe, you could talk some bits about those rumors, because I think there's lots of talks, and there's a lot of talks for a long time about maybe, you're going to work with Xbox. And you're in a position now, where you know, looks like, partnering with Sony and Xbox, and maybe with another partners on games. I'm sure there's a lots of; you get lots of comments about that and rumors around those deals as well, right?"
Hideo Kojima provided context for Kojima Productions, stating that the game studio was founded in 2015 after he left Konami. He clarified that there was no outside funding and that his studio was independent:
"Okay, so first of all, I think a lot of people have a misunderstanding about Kojima Productions. I created this company in December of 2015, after leaving Konami. It was 100% out of my pocket. No funding from anyone, whatsoever. So, we're independent."
Hideo Kojima stated that the studio's very first title, Death Stranding, helped them make a name for themselves:
"At the start, we needed to make a name for ourselves and create a big title. And the person who was really there for me was Andy from Sony. And the first title was Death Stranding. I'm still on good terms with Sony. I always have been."
The 59-year-old gaming industry veteran claimed that people mistook Kojima Productions as a part of Sony because the former's studio is located right next to the latter's headquarters in Shinagawa:
"And Kojima Productions studio is in Shinagawa, right next to the Sony Headquarters building! And we're also pretty close to the SIE PlayStation building. So, people tend to think we are part of Sony, but I was the one that found this studio space, by myself. The studio was not prepared by Sony. It just happened to be in front of the Sony building, by coincidence. I was like, 'Oh! I found a great place,' and then realized that Sony was right out front."
Hideo Kojima added that he has a lot of friends in first-party studios and provided details about the project with Microsoft:
"And well, I have a long career in the games industry, and from my Konami days, I have a lot of friends at first-parties like Microsoft and Nintendo. And as you all know, I made an announcement with Microsoft. We were able to do that because of our mutual trust and the relationship with have with each other."
Kojima asserted that his studio is completely independent, with no affiliations or backing from anyone else:
"So, let me reiterate that we are indies! We have no affiliations whatsoever, and we are not backed by anyone. And we are on good terms with everybody in the industry. But I think Geoff, you already know that. I haven't worked with Nintendo lately, but I have a good relationship with them."
Hideo Kojima then revealed that he receives "ridiculously high prices" for Kojiima Productions from all over the world. He went on to say that he didn't want money and that he wanted to work on projects that he wanted to work on. He added:
"So, as long as I'm alive, I don't think I will ever accept those offers."
Fans react to Hideo Kojima's statement
Twitter user @BenjiSales shared an excerpt from the podcast on Twitter earlier today and the conversation thread attracted more than 135 fan reactions. Here's what they had to say:
Several gaming community members lauded Hideo Kojima for his take, with one user claiming that the Japanese game designer is a "masterpiece maker."
