Kojima on adapting to players and the problem with perfectionism

- Hideo Kojima

Since leaving Konami following the completion of Metal Gear Solid V, series auteur Hideo Kojima has been busy, somehow finding the time to go on an impromptu world tour and establish his own independent studio, Kojima Productions. 

Last time we saw him, the veteran developer was at the DICE Summit in Vegas, waxing lyrical about creativity with Hollywood director Guillermo del Toro, and talking up his future plans and his rejuvenated relationship with Sony. 

This week, Kojima was once again in the spotlight, this time at the Nordic Game Conference in Sweden.

Taking to the stage in Malmo for a fireside chat, the famous designer opened up about his development philosophy, and addressing a question relating to missed released dates and overstretched budgets, admitted that, for better or worse, he's still a perfectionist.

"People seem to think I'm a perfectionist, [and] they're not wrong. It's about making a game you're happy with, but a game isn't finished until people play it, so you have to give it to players," said Kojima, according to GamesIndustry.biz.

"They're more perfectionist than I am. It's not just me missing the schedule or spending too much money. I've only missed a deadline twice."

Player power, says Kojima, is everything. With that in mind, anyone creating games has to make a choice; listen to their audience, or risk losing them. 

"As a developer, you have to adapt to your customers' lifestyles. Maybe that means mobile, or endless multiplayer, you can't dictate," continued Kojima.

"Think about movies - they take five years to make and you watch them in two hours. Games can be like that, [or like] TV shows, which can take six months and can be released episodically. You take time to make it, and you have some control over how people consume it."

For more on this story, head on down to GamesIndustry.biz.