"Young Japan is losing," says Kojima

By Ellie Gibson Published 9 July, 2010

MGS creator talks lack of motivation.

Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima has said the new generation of Japanese game designers don't have enough motivation to keep up with the West.

Writing on his Twitter page, Kojima said he came to this conclusion after watching a documentary on foreign exchange students at Kyoto Seika University. The students, who were studying manga, were portrayed as being highly motivated.

"The Game industry is very similar. The West is very motivated. The younger generation of Japan is losing," Kojima wrote.

"The designers and to-be-designers in the West have the focus, ambition, and ability to make their dream become true. So it is not the Japanese technology or culture that is losing, we are lacking the motivation."

Kojima went on to point out that less and less Japanese undergraduates are studying abroad at institutions like Harvard and MIT. "The engineering population in Japan may be in jeopardy. We should first review our education system here in Japan," he said.

"Lately I have come to conclusion that, with highly motivated foreigners... it doesn't matter where they are from, working with highly motivated indiviuals is the only way to move forward. I am tired of taking care of people who do not have the passion."

According to Kojima, "Time is used differently between people who have and don't have motivation. They are willing to learn and study on their own." He highlighted the example of two programmers in his own studio, one who reads two novels a day and another who plays Call of Duty during his lunch hour.

"The reason why the programmer plays "COD" during his cherished lunch time is because he likes gaming more than anything. Even if I am busy, even if I have to sacrifice something, I would... for movies and books," said Kojima.

"Saying you don't have time because of work, using work as an excuse, will not help you grow. Creating abilities, at it's core, is reliant on your love for the creation."

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (15) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Eraser #1 2 years ago

    So he wants his employees to play games during lunch hours?
    Where can I apply for a job in his studio?

  • Essien #2 2 years ago

    No, I think he wants them to read books. To broaden their creative minds, so to speak.

    Or perhaps he's just a bit mental.

  • Freek #3 2 years ago

    Probably a bitt of both.

  • ZuluHero #4 2 years ago

    I thought that at first, but I think the article was weirdly written at the end. I think what he's saying that either reading books or playing games during your lunch is good as it shows your passion to find time to do them, relinquishing other important things like eating.

    I think his point is that if you give up the things you love or doing things that broaden your horizons using "too much work" as an excuse, then you didn’t really have that passion or motivation to begin with. And that filters through to your work ethics.
    Edited by 2 at 09/07/10 @ 09:24

  • Frosty840 #5 2 years ago

    Dear god, if he thinks the Japanese are less motivated than western workers, they must be coming in to work and actively deleting code...

  • dr_shambles #6 2 years ago

    Great comments from Kojima-san.

    Really hope Bobby Kotick reads this. Just to see that some people actually care about and have a passion for videogames.

  • ignatiusjreilly #7 2 years ago

    Two novels a day?

  • Dylbot #8 2 years ago

    Slackers, I could plough through three novels a day.

  • alcides #9 2 years ago

    how about working on his lunch time? I used to spend all my lunchtimes playing Final Fantasy 7 8 9 10, that didn't improve my marks though.

    Two novels a day?

    It can't be great literature. And if it is, he cannot possibly appreciate it.
    Edited by 1 at 09/07/10 @ 12:14

  • RawNinjaKid #10 2 years ago

    Not quite sure:

    "Time is used differently between people who have and don't have motivation. They are willing to learn and study on their own. A programmer in our studio reads while he is walking, and finishes 2 novels a day. Another genius programmer we have plays COD, at the same time, eats his lunch during break."

    http://www.twit longer.com/show/2d4934

    So two programmers in his studio, one reads novels during his lunch break, while the other just play COD all day and eats on his lunch break! But his a genius so can get away with it!

    Then he goes on to say:
    "The reason why the programmer plays "COD" during his cherished lunch time is because he likes gaming more than anything. Even if I am busy, even if I have to sacrifice something, I would... for movies and books."
    [link url=http://www.twit longer.com/show/2d4i3j
    ]http://www.twit longer.com/show/2d4i3j
    [/link]

    so there you have it! You have to make sacrifices in life. Even things you love!

    Edited by 3 at 09/07/10 @ 13:17

  • hiddenranbir #11 2 years ago

    Can you blame them for not being motivated to work for you and your billionth MGS title, Hideo?

  • Bluetooth #12 2 years ago

    I'd be depressed too if the young women are rejecting you, the local, in favour of the wonderful white foreigner, with no physical outlet to direct your anger on.

  • mushroomyakuza #13 2 years ago

    Wonderful white foreigner - gaijin.

    Anyway, Kojima-San is on the money. Japan is sorely behind these days and they need to seriously up their game if they want to be working in the videogames industry in ten years time. Excepting the until-recently complacent Nintendo, who recently renewed my faith in them with the 3DS.

  • man.the.king #14 2 years ago

    My opinion of Kojima's views:

    First step in degeneration and degradation: lose confidence in yourself.

    Once you have lost that and spout that as truth, your criticism becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

  • Demiath #15 2 years ago

    So Kojima would even go so far as to work with gaijin? How admirably non-racist of him...