Last month, Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima revealed that for his next game, he is deciding between an original title and the next MGS game.
Kojima appears to have signed on to do an adventure game with Japan's best looking game exec Chiyomaru Shikura.
A photo titled "Blood Oath" popped up on Twitter this past spring, showing the two men, along with No More Heroes designer Goichi Suda, doing who-knows-what and smiling. At the time, Shikura hinted that the project would be an "adventure game", which is how "visual novels" are sometimes referred to in Japan.
In a recent interview, Shikura was asked about the Kojima project and if it was proceeding. Shikura confirmed that the project was moving ahead and said what he could about it. No word whether Goichi Suda (pictured above) is connected to it, but he is not mentioned by Shikura.
Shikura said he's personally connected to two separate projects: one is the third entry in a conceptual science series, and the second is the project with Kojima. According to Shikura, these are the two reasons why he is giving this his all.
"Kojima told me," continues Shikura, "that he wanted to make an adventure game. We're at the still stage where we need to go to a secluded spot in the mountains and hash this project out, and thus, we don't have any of the minute details hammered out."
When asked if the project was science fiction, Shikura declined to answer, saying that is a question to ask Kojima directly.
5pb is best known for doing console ports of erotic games and dating simulators. However, Shikura goes on to state, "Personally, I love adventure games." He says that instead of games with "bishoujyo or moé boys", he thinks it would be great if there was a classic adventure game boom.
Kojima tweeted last past April, will "challenge a certain type of taboo." According to Kojima, "If I mess up, I'll probably have to leave the industry."
In Kojima's back catalogue, Snatcher and Policenauts are sci-fi adventure games. Could 5pb be working on the third entry? If so, is that really wise? Haven't seen a single 5pb game that has been impressive. What I have seen are loads of buggy ports.
Update: The Kojima project and the third in a "conceptual science series" are apparently separate titles.
「Steins;Gate」の開発元5pb.の志倉氏らが考えるコンテンツ戦略—"原作"たり得る表現メディアとしてのノベルゲーム（Steins;Gate(シュタインズ・ゲート)） [4Gamer.net] [Pic]