Hideo Kojima Explains Why He Will Never Retire

Hideo Kojima has no plans to retire, it would seem. Hideo Kojima is one of the greatest video game developers out there and has more or less taken on the persona of an "auteur". There are very few auteurs in the gaming space as so many people contribute so many different things to a video game, it would be difficult to point to one person for the success like you may be able to with a film. However, Hideo Kojima has carved out a real identity for himself in the gaming space and even has his name on the boxes of his games as well as has his own studio named after him. He is a key voice in the industry and is looked up to by tons of people, including people outside of the gaming industry.

With that said, Hideo Kojima is 60 years old and has been doing this for a very long time. He has been at his current studio for 8 years now and has only released one game, though we know two more are currently in the works including a new horror experience with Jordan Peele. One has to wonder, with so much time invested into this career and being in the latter half of his life, when will Hideo Kojima call it quits? Well, apparently never, at least not as so long as he's able to create things. Hideo Kojima took to X to talk about his drive to create and why that will never allow him to retire. He noted that creating things is not a job for him, but rather a way of living.

"The reason why I am independent and advocate a life-long career is because for me, "creating things" is no longer a job," said Kojima. "That's why there is no retirement. Creating things is living. One more thing. In the game industry, there are very few people who have succeeded in becoming independent from a major game production studio, whether in Japan or abroad. Even eight years ago, when I started my own company, I was opposed by everyone, including my peers, colleagues, and relatives, who said, "It will never work!". They said it was impossible without the financial and organizational strength of a company. However, someone must prove that that is an old-fashioned way of thinking. Young creators must be given freedom of choice. This is one of the reasons why I continue to "create things"."

The reason why I am independent and advocate a life-long career is because for me, "creating things" is no longer a job. That's why there is no retirement. Creating things is living. One more thing. In the game industry, there are very few people who have succeeded in becoming… pic.twitter.com/48v9uWOk01

— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) December 16, 2023

Whether or not Hideo Kojima always makes games is anyone's guess. He has expressed interest in doing things with film and other mediums, but we will seemingly be getting more Hideo Kojima stories for as long as he's living. Hideo Kojima has already confirmed he will have an active role in A24's Death Stranding film, but we aren't sure what exactly that means. This is pretty exciting news since he seems to be able to take big risks and be given big budgets to do so and is often rewarded for doing so. He's a necessary voice in this industry, particularly if you love single player games or narrative driven ones.