Home Hideo Kojima thinks that episodic gaming may be the future

Hideo Kojima thinks that episodic gaming may be the future

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Hideo

What is the future of gaming? Personally, I’d back any console that allows for multi-disc trays so that I don’t have to drag my massive ass off of the couch, but that’s the kind of thinking reserved for the 1990s. Instead, I’ve got a feeling that we’re headed for a digital storefront in the years to come, as physical releases finally become a novelty. And with that deeper focus on digital games, I think we’re also going to see a lot more episodic content released.

We’re already seeing it in action right now. Telltale Games really got the ball rolling on that form of content with their various licensed projects, while the latest Hitman decided to keep retail for the final edition of their yearlong rollout of contracts. Hell, even famed developer Hideo Kojima sees episodic games as the future of this industry.

“For [Death Stranding] I can’t tell. I’m not sure,” Kojima said at 2016 Develop Conference in Brighton via GameStop.

But in the future I think this is a change that will definitely take place and I’d be interested. I don’t think movies in the future will last two hours, especially when people are already demanding more speedy experiences and delivery. So taking shorter time spans to develop, putting it out, integrating user feedback quickly, and having that freedom in game-making, I think it will apply to movies and TV too.

Kojima used Japanese TV as a reference, pointing out how the traditional longer model of morning talk shows had ditched any wasted time to deliver more compact doses of information for the citizen in a rush. “Right now we have two-hour-long movies and TV episodes are roughly 40 minutes, but in Japan you have morning shows that last 15 minutes,” Kojima explained.

That’s where I think things are headed, having five or 15-minute episodes. For games, having massive, long games will become a thing of the past.

Heck, it’s something that I’ve noticed crop up in Western animation lately. Flick on to any cartoon channel and you’ll notice that there has been a bigger effort lately to deliver stories in quick 10 minute sessions, or even as few as three minutes such as what DC is doing with their various heroes. Thing is, episodic games also need to realise that what they really need to emulate when looking to TV and movies for inspiration, is a reliable release date.

It’s all well and good having your content roll out in smaller packages, but leaving your audience high and dry as they wait with no clue whatsoever of when to expect more, doesn’t exactly create a positive outlook for the model.

 

Last Updated: July 15, 2016

14 Comments

  1. Didn’t read. Episodic gaming the future? No. You’re a fucking lunatic Kojima. Don’t worry, I’m sure Molyneux will keep you company.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

      July 15, 2016 at 13:09

      “having five or 15-minute episodes. For games” What are we? Ants?

      Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    July 15, 2016 at 13:07

    I’m still looking forward to SiN Episode 2, any day now.

    Reply

    • Kromas GG

      July 15, 2016 at 13:18

      Still waiting on HL2:Episode 3. So …. yeah.

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief - Check

        July 15, 2016 at 13:34

        ;-(

        Reply

  3. Ottokie

    July 15, 2016 at 13:07

  4. Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

    July 15, 2016 at 13:09

  5. HvR

    July 15, 2016 at 13:10

    NO HIDEO DO NOT FOLLOW LIGHT SHINING OF MOLYNOUX’S FOREHEAD!!!!

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

      July 15, 2016 at 13:11

      IT’S BLINDING!

      Reply

  6. Original Heretic

    July 15, 2016 at 13:11

    He’s using Japan as his basis for this. Them Japs be weird, let’s not be like them.

    Reply

  7. Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

    July 15, 2016 at 13:12

    Well…….. if anyone could make it work it would be him

    Reply

  8. Spathi

    July 15, 2016 at 13:45

    I’m kinda for it for specific games. An RPG like The Witcher or Fallout, nope. But for an FPS or adventure games it may suit me just fine. The main reasoning behind my reasoning?? is that I only have so much time and money on my hands as a responsible adult and soon to be dad, so I will be happy to digest games in 3 – 5 hour stints at a time. You may ask what is stopping me from just getting my lazy ass up from the chair and playing the game later again!? Willpower, or lack thereof is topping me 😀

    Reply

  9. chimera_85

    July 15, 2016 at 14:34

    The length of a movie sucks when it’s 1hr20mins, I for one want at least 2 hours. Hell I would’ve been happy with BvS being 5 hours as they actually wanted with a 2hr30min intermission :-D. Episodic games are also balls 🙁

    Reply

  10. Pieter Kruger

    July 15, 2016 at 15:20

    Oh please no, just not this!

    Reply

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