For day 6 of the Geek Out Challenge, the question asked is about other real-life geeks that inspire you. I have enjoyed the posts from others participating and hearing the stories of who they look up to and why.
What real life geek inspires you? – Hideo Kojima
In thinking the question over this afternoon, Hideo Kojima is someone I would definitely consider “geeky”. It’s been 16 years since I first played Metal Gear Solid 2 and since then he has been one of my favorite creators within the gaming industry. There are those within any artistic medium whether it be animation, film, music, or video games that have such a specific vision for their craft and what they are trying to create and for me Kojima-san certainly is one of them. The Metal Gear Solid games are among my all-time favorite games and will be remembered for the level of cinematic storytelling and grandiosity that video games are capable of. He is just one of the many that have shown us that video games CAN BE more than “just a game” and can provide experiences on par with that of a movie.
What inspires me about Hideo Kojima is the love that he has for what he creates as well as the influences that inspire him. If you follow him on Instagram or Twitter, you will quickly see his affection for movies and music; his Twitter bio states “70% of my body is made of movies”. Biological accuracy aside, his social media feed contains numerous photos of the music and movies that he is currently enjoying or that has inspired him in some way. I certainly understand the style in which Kojima’s game are presented aren’t for everyone, but I love how the discussion of philosophical topics such as nuclear disarmament or genetic engineering are counter-balanced by the over-the-top action sequences. I have always admired artists that have, for lack of better phrase “make what they WANT to make” regardless of what they think its reception will be. In a world where something creative rarely equals profitable, it is refreshing to see that amount of passion Kojima puts into anything he creates. I, along with pretty much everyone else still have the faintest idea of what to expect from Death Stranding once it’s released this November, but I trust Hideo Kojima to provide an experience.
Another great geeky question from Megan at A Geeky Gal! Feel free to comment below on any of your inspirations or join in on the 30 Day Geek Out Challenge. See you tomorrow!
Gaming Omnivore 