
Hideo Kojima's Groundbreaking 'Forgetting Game': Characters Lose Skills as Time Passes!
2025-05-15
Author: John Tan
The legendary game designer Hideo Kojima, renowned for titles like the Metal Gear Solid series and Death Stranding, has unveiled some jaw-dropping concepts revolving around real-world time mechanics in gaming.
On episode 17 of his Japanese podcast KOJI10, Kojima delved into how he has previously integrated such time-related gameplay elements and even shared some fascinating abandoned ideas from his upcoming project, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach.
Innovative Mechanics from the Past
Reflecting on his groundbreaking work, Kojima highlighted memorable features from 2004's Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. One of the notable mechanics involved food spoiling if left in the inventory for days, potentially making Snake sick. Then there’s the infamous boss fight with The End—a sniper whose demise could be hastened by manipulating the game’s clock, causing him to age and die before the player could even pull the trigger!
Unrealized Ideas for Death Stranding 2
For Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, Kojima initially planned to incorporate similar time mechanics on a smaller scale. He envisioned having Sam’s beard grow in real-time, requiring players to manage his grooming to prevent him from looking disheveled. But, respecting star Norman Reedus's image, this intriguing concept was ultimately scrapped.
A Revolutionary Game Concept: The 'Forgetting Game'!
Looking ahead, Kojima’s creativity knows no bounds. One striking idea he proposed involves a game where characters age in real-time, evolving from childhood to elderly, affecting their abilities as they grow. Picture battling foes as a spry young fighter only to face significantly tougher enemies as a frail old man!
But it gets even more fascinating—Kojima introduced a unique concept titled the 'forgetting game.' In this radical setup, characters lose essential skills the longer players wait between gaming sessions. Forget how to shoot? Forget who you are? Players would be challenged not only to progress swiftly but also to engage consistently, offering a fresh twist in an era of map-heavy, repetitive gameplay.
Could Kojima bring this daring vision to life? Fans certainly hope so! Until then, everyone is eagerly anticipating his next enigmatic creation, with Death Stranding 2: On The Beach set to launch on June 26 for PS5.