Contra and Metal Gear were released almost in the same year. Yet, after beating Contra, a player might not even know the names of the two protagonists, only that they had destroyed an alien base.
But after beating Metal Gear, a player knows they were controlling Snake. They know his personality, his history, his philosophy—
Ultimately, this was because Metal Gear had eschewed the focus on combat experience, instead investing its effort into level design, item interaction, and character development. In contrast, Contra had focused on its visuals and smooth controls, inevitably sacrificing character depth. While its two protagonists went through a story, they had no individual personalities—they were just two pure-bred action heroes.
"So, they focused on shaping the protagonist's character," Satoru Iwata murmured, nodding as he jotted down the note.
Not just a symbol named "Protagonist," but a concrete character with his own distinct image.
Hideo Kojima, however, saw it from another perspective.
After all, Hideo Kojima had designed Snake's image himself, and he knew all too well how much he had poured his heart and soul into the character. This was why Snake displayed a more nuanced personality through the radio transmissions and the story's interactions, rather than being just another gun-toting action hero.
Kobayashi Tetsu would never admit that he had even paid for the negative buzz, including the one from Tanimura Masahito. The game hadn't undergone a large-scale marketing campaign, so he had used this method to attract players. So far, it seemed to be working.
Hideo Kojima nodded repeatedly.
In truth, he had never had a concrete understanding of this style; he had simply incorporated the kinds of movies he liked into the game. But now, everything seemed to fall into place.
So, this style is called cinematic storytelling!
Hideo Kojima pondered this.
Watching movies was his passion, and it had become his signature style. Rather than a game, it felt more like a controllable movie.
A rough idea for a sequel already began to form in Hideo Kojima's mind. At the same time, he finally understood why Kobayashi Tetsu had instructed him not to kill Big Boss, but to let him escape.
It was to pave the way for a sequel!
At this thought, Hideo Kojima couldn't help but marvel even more.
He had never even considered the possibility of a sequel, yet Kobayashi Tetsu had already planned for it.
"Does this mean the President has more faith in me than I do as the producer? I'm so touched!"
Hideo Kojima himself hadn't held much hope.
Kobayashi Tetsu casually patted Kojima on the shoulder.
"Kojima-kun, keep up this style. A producer can make a name for themselves with a game that sells 100,000 copies. If you have a game that sells a million, you're a Gold-Medal Producer!"
Next to them, Naka Yuji instantly looked up.
Then he had already won several gold medals.
Hideo Kojima, on the other hand, felt a bit overwhelmed by the praise.
"I'm not actually that great—it's all thanks to the President's guidance!"
Kobayashi Tetsu waved his hand.
"What guidance? You and Iwata-kun made the game. I just gave you some marketing resources. If the game itself wasn't good enough, it would have faded away before the marketing even kicked in. So, you should be thanked for at least making it high-quality enough! Bonuses! Vacation!"
Kobayashi Tetsu tapped his watch.
A half-month vacation. After returning, they needed to hurry up and release another sequel on the MS before the MD launched, lest outsiders say Atlas couldn't count to two!
Hideo Kojima wasn't originally from Tokyo, but he shared an apartment with a few others there.
Things were different now.
He had received a bonus this month, along with the sales royalties from Metal Gear.
Kojima had already made up his mind: as soon as his paycheck arrived, he would move out and find a place of his own! He'd head to Minato City, face the sea, and bask in the warmth of spring! He'd focus on his health and eat well!
Just as he arrived at his apartment building, Kojima spotted a familiar face from a distance.
"Ito—Ito Daisuke?"
Kojima recalled the man's name.
They weren't close. They were college classmates who had exchanged greetings and met a few times, including a dinner party at graduation. That was it.
They weren't friends—just ordinary acquaintances from school.
Still, Kojima pushed up his glasses and took the initiative to greet him.
He wasn't just anyone anymore! He didn't just have an ID card; he had status now! He was the producer of a game with 300,000 copies sold!
Unexpectedly, Ito Daisuke seemed even more excited than he was.
"Whoa!!! Is that really you?! I thought you were a real Tokyoite now! Kojima-kun, is it really you, Kojima-kun!"
Ito Daisuke threw his arms around him in a passionate hug, squeezing Kojima so hard he could barely breathe.
Hideo Kojima, still wearing a stunned expression, managed a greeting.
"So you're living here now, Kojima-kun? Why not invite me up for a drink?"
"Uh, a drink... maybe not," Kojima replied. He thought about his shared apartment and decided it was best not to bring anyone up.
"How's your appetite? Let's go grab a bite together," he quickly added, changing the subject. He decided to eat out.
Of course, to show off his current wealth, he had to choose somewhere fancy—a Western restaurant! After all, what was the point of earning money if you couldn't flaunt it? He'd have lived his whole life in vain if he didn't.
After a few drinks and a lot of warm conversation, the two seemed to have grown much closer. Finally, Ito Daisuke turned serious.
"Kojima-kun, actually, I joined Konami after graduation."
Kojima's expression also turned serious.
In truth, he had considered applying to Konami before graduating, as it was Osaka's first publicly traded game company. Later, Konami moved to Tokyo, but it still had a presence in Osaka.
Ultimately, Kojima hadn't gone to Konami for well-known reasons—Kobayashi Tetsu had recruited him instead.
"Kojima-kun," Ito Daisuke said, "would you be interested in working at Konami?"
Kojima remained silent, pondering what kind of offer Konami could possibly give him.
Seeing no objection from Kojima, Ito Daisuke took his silence as tacit agreement. He reached into his briefcase and pulled out a stack of papers.
"Konami promises to establish a dedicated studio for Kojima-kun to launch a game series and unleash his creativity."
Ito Daisuke went through the terms one by one: the profit-sharing ratio, salary, studio arrangements, and promised promotional resources.
Hideo Kojima reviewed each point without a word. Only at the very end did he tuck the documents into his briefcase.
"This is a major decision. I'll need some time to think it over, alright?"
"Of course," Ito Daisuke replied with a slight smile. "Kojima-kun, you have all the time you need."
Hideo Kojima bowed and then rose to leave.
Back at his place, Kojima sat on his bed, his mind racing.
The most critical point Konami offered was stability. Atlas, by contrast, felt like a family-run company—the kind where leadership is passed from father to son. While Kobayashi Tetsu seemed highly capable now, what if he suddenly passed away? Would his successor be as competent?
Kobayashi Tetsu might treat the producers he discovered with care, but a successor could easily purge the old guard.
Kojima couldn't gamble on that.
Konami, on the other hand, was a publicly traded company. Everything was formal and transparent. On the surface, it seemed far less likely to face such issues.
Kojima ran his fingers through his hair, ruining his otherwise neat style.
Go, or stay? He was truly torn.
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