Hideo Kojima, the creator of Death Stranding and Metal Gear Solid 2, is often regarded not only as a creative genius, offering gameplay concepts and ideas in his video games that are entirely different from those of other developers. For many, Kojima is one of the few names still regarded as a true 'auteur' in the industry, and in the recent past we have seen how some of his 'futuristic' ideas from works created decades ago have ultimately come to pass, albeit not exactly, into something very similar to reality (and if you don't believe me, just take a look at the plot of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty).
Kojima has always worked very closely with PlayStation, and it was thanks to them that he was able to launch his own studio and his first game as an independent developer, Death Stranding. But following yesterday's announcement on 1 July that Sony will cease production of physical games from January 2028, Kojima has issued a statement outlining his concerns, which go beyond video games.
In his reflection, Kojima speaks not so much about physical media as about the consequences of the ambiguity surrounding whether you actually own digital products or simply hold a licence that can be revoked by the company that owns the platform or the hosting servers. Kojima is also widely known as a lover of physical media and an avid collector of rare and exclusive editions of music, books and films. Below is his full reflection:
"Eventually, even digital data will no longer be owned by individuals on their own initiative. Whenever there is a major change or accident in the world, in a country, in a government, in an idea, in a trend, access to it may suddenly be cut off.
"We will not be able to freely access the movies, books, and music that we have loved. I would be a have-not. That's what I'm afraid of. This is not greed."
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What do you think of Hideo Kojima's words? Do you agree with him and his fears?