- Early in his career, Hideo Kojima faced widespread skepticism from his Konami colleagues regarding his concept for Metal Gear.
- The turning point occurred when Kojima implemented the now-iconic exclamation point visual cue to indicate enemy awareness.
- A simple visual cue convinced the Konami executives of the game’s potential.
A young Hideo Kojima was met with universal doubts from his colleagues about his idea for Metal Gear. The game’s focus on stealth was unusual at a time when action games were the norm.
Kojima’s unique idea was to design a game where avoiding enemies was the main goal, in contrast to the popular shoot-’em-up games. While talking to Nice Games back in 1999, the Japanese auteur said nobody believed in his idea and he nearly left because of that.
Why it matters: The Metal Gear franchise is known for introducing the stealth genre to video games. Safe to say, it might not have been possible without Kojima.
In a new dug-up interview (thanks to Shmuplations), it can be seen how a young Kojima struggled to convey his idea of Metal Gear at Konami.
I was still a new planner at Konami, so I guess no one was inclined to listen to what I had to say…
– Hideo Kojima in 1999
The turning point came when Kojima added the iconic exclamation point above enemies’ heads when they noticed the player. This simple but powerful visual cue was key in showing the game’s potential to Konami’s veterans.
When they saw the exclamation mark pop up, that sold them on the concept. They all changed their tune then: ‘This is gonna work!’
The exclamation point won over Konami’s leaders and became a key symbol of the Metal Gear series. This feature inspired other studios to create their own versions in games like the Far Cry series.
Looking back at the Metal Gear series, it’s impressive how a simple design choice—the exclamation point—helped shape its creation.
The Metal Gear series has continued to evolve in recent years. In 2023, Konami announced Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater, a remake of the 2004 classic Metal Gear Solid 3.
The development of Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater is a joint effort between Konami’s internal team and the support studio Virtuos. Interestingly, neither Hideo Kojima nor original artist Yoji Shinkawa are involved in the project.
However, the team has promised to create a faithful remake without changing the original story. Are you looking forward to Snake Eater coming out in 2025? Let us know in the comments or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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