Hideo Kojima has reaffirmed his commitment to making video games as he turns 63 years old, despite acknowledging that he is running out of time to pursue all his ideas. In a social media post on X, the renowned game designer reflected on his age and the challenges of balancing his creative ambitions with limited time.
Kojima's message on aging and creativity
In his post, Kojima wrote: 'As I get older, the things I “have to do” and the things I “want to do” continue to increase. At the same time, the time I “have to do them” continues to decrease. I constantly need to reassess how I use my time and how I live my life. That said, once you’ve taken something on, you can’t simply put it down and walk away.'
He assured fans that he 'would like to remain focused on creating games', even as he receives 'various opportunities and offers' – likely a reference to other multimedia projects, such as the Death Stranding movie. Kojima also noted that 2026 marks both his 40th anniversary of making games, with his first credited work on the platformer Penguin Adventure in 1986, and the 10th anniversary of Kojima Productions, which was founded in December 2015.
Industry context and retirement ages
Kojima's message comes as other prominent Japanese developers step back from game development. Shigeru Miyamoto, 73, has long since moved away from making games to focus on Nintendo's Hollywood ventures. Takashi Tezuka recently stepped down from Nintendo's board of directors, while Kensuke Tanabe has left the company entirely.
While Kojima is not particularly old at 63, fans will eventually have to face the reality of his retirement, especially as games can now take five to six years to make. The retirement age for men in the UK is 67, while in Japan it is currently 65. As Kojima leads his own company, he may stay on far longer than average.
Current projects: OD and Physint
Kojima has announced two projects he is currently involved with. The first is OD, a horror game reminiscent of the P.T. teaser for the cancelled Silent Hills. Little is known about OD, aside from some celebrity actors, it being co-written by horror director Jordan Peele, and its use of Xbox's cloud technology. With Xbox publishing OD, it is presumed, though not confirmed, to be an Xbox console exclusive. The game has no release date.
The second project is Physint, billed as a stealth action game and spiritual successor to the Metal Gear series. It is so early in development that Kojima has said it won't be out this decade, meaning he could be in his 70s by the time it launches.
