"Metal Gear and Death Stranding simply wouldn't exist" — Hideo Kojima shares the event that changed his life

Hideo Kojima has revealed that his iconic game series Metal Gear and Death Stranding would never have come to be if not for the experiences he had at the 1970 World Expo in Osaka. In an essay for the Japanese magazine An-An, Kojima reflected on the event, calling it a "watershed moment" in his life — a personal "before and after."

As a child living near the Expo site, Kojima was able to visit the event multiple times. He recalls being deeply impressed by the blend of futuristic technology and the vision of harmony between nations. The future game designer says it was the first time he truly experienced "the future and global unity" firsthand, while encounters with figures like Taro Okamoto, Sakyo Komatsu, Kenzo Tange, Kisho Kurokawa, Junko Koshino, and Hanae Mori left a profound cultural impact on him.

According to Kojima, the power of the Expo wasn't just in showcasing progress, but in its diversity — the coexistence of different countries, cultures, and religions. He believes this is when he developed the global and forward-thinking mindset that would later become the foundation for Metal Gear and Death Stranding.

Comparing Expo 1970 to the upcoming Osaka Expo 2025, Kojima expressed disappointment, saying the modern event has lost the scale and ambitious vision for the future. He mentioned participating in discussions with the organizing committee and offering his own ideas, but they were deemed "too ambitious" for the event's budget.

Previously, Hideo Kojima explained why he rarely plays games himself and answered a question about Death Stranding 3.

By the way, in September, Kojima Productions released a gameplay trailer for the photorealistic horror game OD: Knock, which the studio is currently working on.