Hideo Kojima is a movie and television buff, which is something you’ll learn if you spend even a few minutes on his social media profiles. His games have always been deeply cinematic, and he takes a lot of inspiration from top-tier movies, indie productions, and everything in between.
Most recently, the legendary developer and visionary shared his emotional thoughts about the Stranger Things finale, which aired just a few days ago and shattered the hearts of millions worldwide, including Kojima.
Hideo Kojima Connected with Stranger Things
This week, Stranger Things ended with a tumultuous final episode that ran for more than two hours. It was the culmination of ten years of storytelling, presenting viewers with some closure on a series that they’ve fallen in love with over the course of a lengthy, cacophonous decade.
It proved to be a divisive ending, splitting the community down the middle over the satisfaction of the thing and some of the storylines that have been left up to the viewer’s interpretation and beliefs. All in all, it was the end of a phenomenal journey that certainly had enough finality and emotion to hurl a heaping wave of catharsis over everyone involved.
That includes the gaming icon and veteran developer, Hideo Kojima.
In a post on social media, Kojima wrote:
STRANGER THINGS has reached its finale.
For me, it was actually a very special drama series. It began in 2016, during my difficult time right after I went independent, a period filled with anxiety and loneliness. It was also when I first started watching streaming services as a new kind of medium. Over the past ten years, I’ve spent time with Eleven, the others, and the people of Hawkins (including the monsters from the Upside Down), receiving courage from them and being pushed forward again and again.
As I watched them grow through the story, I was also growing in the “real world,” the story’s own kind of Upside Down—struggling, tracing connections, and finding my way forward in much the same way. It’s sad to think that I won’t be seeing them anymore. But there’s always a way to return to this “town.”
This isn’t a story about saying goodbye. As symbolized by D&D (the table-talk RPG) at both the beginning and the end, the “story” already lives within us. By recalling that world and those characters, and “table-talking” it in our minds, we can create new stories at any time.
Among the many stories born inside us, they will continue to live on forever. There, they’ll meet again and keep adventuring. As long as we don’t forget, it’s always “here.” Thank you, STRANGER THINGS.
It’s a heartfelt take from the creator who finds himself wearing his heart on his sleeve much more as he ages. Kojima is an entertainment aficionado and often shares takes on social media related to television shows, movies, music, and art, but this is one of the longest messages he’s posted in response to a recent release or production.
Did you enjoy the Stranger Things finale? Let us know what you thought about it on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Todd Howard showed no interest in Fallout: London
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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