“Without Super Mario Bros., I Probably Wouldn’t Be in This Industry” – Hideo Kojima Claims in New Interview

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Hideo Kojima, the creator of the Metal Gear series and founder of Kojima Productions, has shared that Super Mario Bros. was a major inspiration for his career in gaming. He believes his studio might not exist without it. Kojima is known for his complex and thought-provoking stories, and after Metal Gear, he established his own studio to create games like Death Stranding. His passion for game development actually began with one of the most popular games of all time.

Starting with its arcade debut in the 1980s, the Mario Bros. series quickly became a globally famous name in pop culture. The release of Super Mario Bros. for the NES took the franchise to even greater success and cemented Nintendo’s position as a leader in the home video game market. Mario’s impact has also inspired countless game designers worldwide.

Hideo Kojima Was Inspired to Create Games By Mario

In a recent interview with Wired, Hideo Kojima discussed the things that inspired him as a game developer. He revealed that playing Super Mario Bros. was a key reason he chose to pursue a career in gaming, even admitting to skipping college classes to play it. Kojima believes Super Mario Bros. was the first game to show him that video games had the potential to be more impactful storytellers than movies, despite the simple narrative of the original game.

Hideo Kojima mentioned many inspirations during the interview, not just Super Mario Bros. and Nintendo. He talked about several filmmakers who’ve shaped his work, including Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, and John Carpenter. He also shared that his favorite film is 2001: A Space Odyssey, which he called a flawless combination of science and philosophy. Kojima even discussed potential video game adaptations, suggesting Predator: Badlands and Last Samurai Standing both have strong video game potential.

Hideo Kojima’s Legacy Continues to Grow With Each New Project

Hideo Kojima has become a highly respected game creator, earning numerous awards throughout his career. His latest game, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, received seven nominations at the 2025 Game Awards, making it one of the most nominated titles. Although it didn’t win any awards, Death Stranding 2 was a contender for the prestigious “Game of the Year,” which ultimately went to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Kojima’s first Death Stranding game previously won “Best Game Direction” in 2019.

Kojima Productions is continuing to create new games after the success of their latest release. In 2023, Hideo Kojima announced OD, a new horror game that will be published by Xbox Game Studios and co-written with Jordan Peele, known for his work in comedy and horror. Simultaneously, Kojima is also working on Physint, a return to the action-espionage genre, in collaboration with Sony and Columbia Pictures. These upcoming projects promise to further establish Hideo Kojima as a leading figure in the gaming industry, building on the legacy of a groundbreaking platformer that revolutionized the medium.

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2025-12-21 22:04