In a recent interview, Hideo Kojima expressed an interest in developing a game that can change in real-time based on a player's location and other factors. The legendary Metal Gear Solid creator is, of course, no stranger to producing experiences that adapt to certain circumstances revolving around the player.
Metal Gear Solid serves as the most notable example, courtesy of a battle encounter that players have with Psycho Mantis. During the fight, Psycho Mantis famously reads the installed memory card, referencing games the user previously played. This one instance remains as memorable as the full game, securing itself as a favorite amongst fans. How Kojima may someday evolve the feature is still up in the air, but he may have ideas on how else to bring external influences into each individual player's experience.
Speaking with Japanese publication Anan (via VGC), Hideo Kojima answered a question about his plans for further evolving the types of games he produces. "What I want to do is to make games that change in real time," the developer said, then described a scenario wherein people from all walks of life experience a title differently "depending on where [they] live and how [they] feel about it." He went on to another one of his past projects, Boktai: The Sun is in Your Hand, as an example.
"[The Sun is in Your Hand is] a portable Game Boy Advance with a sun sensor and a clock. The amount of light from the sun is reflected in the game to defeat vampires, so the game changes depending on where and when you play. This kind of device connects the system created by people to the real world."
It seems like an intriguing premise, developing an interactive experience that adjusts to a user's geographical surroundings. Since Kojima didn't offer much in the way of specifics, there's no way of knowing what exactly such a feature would entail in terms of content. And because the concept itself sounds so ambitious, who knows if it'll ever make it past the ideation phase.
The MGS creator's most recent adventure, Death Stranding, boasted a few inventive ideas in its own right. Multiplayer functionality in Death Stranding, for example, allows people to socially interact with tips, shared spaces for items, and more.
Kojima's latest project, Death Stranding Director's Cut, hits PlayStation 5 on September 24.