Here's a morbid one: Kojima has a USB stick full of ideas for Kojima Productions to use after he dies

That Hideo Kojima is a bit of an odd chap, 'ey? It was only recently he said that he wants to make a game where the protagonist forgets their own abilities if you, the player, take a long break between play sessions. As a reminder this comes from the guy who made a whole game about delivering packages, another game where a character can die of old age if you wait long enough, and another game that knows if you've played Castlevania or not. The guy likes doing things differently!

He also, in more recent years, seems to be thinking a lot about his own mortality. In a recent interview with Edge magazine (via VGC), the acclaimed game maker spoke of how his experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic shaped not only his games, but his own legacy and company. "Turning 60 was less of a turning point in my life than my experiences during the pandemic," Kojima explained. "I fell seriously ill at that time, and also had an eye operation. Until then, I didn’t think I was old, you know? I just didn’t feel my age, and I assumed I would be able to create for as long as I live.

"But then I became sick, and I couldn’t create anything. And I saw lots of people around me passing away at that time. I was confronted with death. Of course, I recovered, but now I was thinking, ‘Wait, how many years do I have left to make a game or a film?’ Perhaps I have ten years?"

In turn, Kojima has apparently be rethinking his own priorities, for example wondering whether or not he should try to make a movie (Guillermo del Toro and Nicolas Winding Refn, both seen but not heard in Death Stranding, apparently advised him to stick to games, something I'm inclined to agree with).

Perhaps most existential of all though, he has a plan for Kojima Productions after his death. "I gave a USB stick with all my ideas on it to my personal assistant, kind of like a will. Perhaps they could continue to make things after I’m gone at Kojima Productions…" Kojima explained. "This is a fear for me: what happens to Kojima Productions after I’m gone? I don’t want them to just manage our existing IP."

Obviously I wasn't there for this interview, but it sounds like there's a real earnest concern from Kojima here. I wouldn't want Kojima Productions to just rehash his own work either. Would love to know what's on that drive though… how much money do you want to be on there being a pitch for a game that plays you?