PSP audience is 'important and new' for MGS director Kojima

by Andrew Yoon { Apr 2nd 2008 at 9:30PM }

Hideo Kojima, revered director of the Metal Gear series, recently talked about the PSP in an interview with IGN. He noted the success Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops has had, especially with the younger demographic. He notes that teens in Japan love the PSP: "middle school students, from 13 to 15, are really fanatical with the machine itself -- look at Monster Hunter Portable, for instance."

The rampant fervor of the teenage PSP audience is what helped drive the Monster Hunter series into millions of units sold. This is obviously an audience that Kojima would love to capture: "I would like to continue with this, to aim at those middle school students because they are so interested with MPO right now. I would continue to try to reach them."

He gives an anecdote about his son. "He has always criticized it: 'Oh, Metal Gear is such a s****y game.' Until the point I released Portable Ops." From the sounds of it, Kojima certainly wouldn't want to disappoint his son, and it appears that a new PSP game from Kojima Productions is inevitable: "My son is really into Portable Ops as well: the use of the WiFi, the ability to play anywhere, bring it to school, etc ... It might not be the Metal Gear series, but I would like to consider this audience because it's very important and new."

Tags: hideo-kojima, kojima, metal-gear-solid, mgs, portable-ops

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Roto13 @ Apr 2nd 2008 9:39PM

PSP: First handheld EVER

Sunny @ Apr 2nd 2008 10:42PM

um waht

Dehshizknight @ Apr 2nd 2008 10:14PM

Metal Gear Solid has changed my life. I'm a mature person because of it.

I mean, the first one was very emotional and biological. Then, they go political in the second one. I still have to play the third one but I don't think I'll be disappointed.

Long live Metal Gear Solid!!!!

Dahk @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:24PM

Hurry up and go play it. The last few hours are absolutely EPIC. Although the first few are half meh-ish (coming from a MGS fan).

Hitorijime @ Apr 3rd 2008 12:03PM

Kojima's son is... an idiot. How closed minded would a person have to be to think MGS is a crappy game?

*shrugs* If my dad had created such an amazing video game series, I'd probably never leave him alone. o.O;

Dr Haisook @ Apr 5th 2008 4:59PM

Well, that isn't the case in Japan because 1 in every 3 fathers is a game developer (j/k).

rhugghed @ Apr 3rd 2008 2:50AM

Wow. So Kojima's son hated the Metal Gear series but loved the PortableOPS ones!? Portable OPS!?

His son must be hating on him! lol

FOXHOUND @ Apr 3rd 2008 7:17AM

No offense to Kojima or his son... but he's honestly the first person I've heard to dislike the console ones for PORTABLE OPS. Don't get me wrong, I(obviously)like both; but if I had to choose, I'd go with the console series unanimously over MPO. Of course, if his son is younger and a fan of the whole "collect'em-all"/"build-and-grind-out" an army tactic & style of gaming... well, to each their own, right?