Hideo Kojima's 'Forgetting Game': Play Too Long, Lose Skills

Hideo Kojima's Japanese radio podcast KOJI10 offers a fascinating glimpse into the mind behind iconic games like Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding. In the latest episode (Episode 17), Kojima delves into the innovative use of real-world time in video games, sharing insights from his past projects and revealing unexplored concepts, including a scrapped idea for the upcoming Death Stranding 2: On The Beach.

Kojima is well-known for integrating gameplay mechanics that utilize the internal clock of consoles and PCs. He reminisces about two notable examples from 2004's Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater on the PS2. To enhance the survival aspect in the jungle setting, the game featured perishable food that would spoil after a few days in real life. Consuming spoiled food could severely impact Snake's health, or players could ingeniously use it as a weapon by tossing it at enemy soldiers.

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Another innovative use of time was seen in MGS3's boss fight against The End, an elderly sniper. Kojima shared, "Although he is a really tough boss, if the player waits a week, The End will die of old age." If players load their save after a week, they are greeted with a cutscene showing Snake discovering The End's demise.

Kojima also discussed a concept he considered for Death Stranding 2, where protagonist Sam's beard would grow over time, requiring players to shave it to maintain his appearance. However, due to Norman Reedus's celebrity status, Kojima opted against making Sam look unkempt. He remains open to exploring this idea in future projects.

Additionally, Kojima proposed three unique game concepts centered around real-world time mechanics. The first is a life simulation game where players age from childhood to old age, affecting their physical capabilities and strategic approach to gameplay. "But no-one would buy it!" Kojima humorously noted, although the podcast's co-hosts showed enthusiasm for such a "Kojima-like game."

Another concept involves a game where players create items like wine or cheese, necessitating long-term engagement, suitable for a background or idle game. On the other hand, Kojima introduced a "forgetting game" where the protagonist's memory and skills deteriorate if the player takes breaks. "Players would have to take a week off work or school to play it," Kojima quipped.

As fans eagerly await the release of Death Stranding 2 on June 26, they can explore more about the game through our interview with Kojima and our impressions after playing through the first 30 hours.