From the highly anticipated Death Stranding 2 On The Beach, slated for 2025, to the mysterious horror game OD and the stealth-action spy title PHYSINT, Hideo Kojima is once again the talk of the town. With multiple ambitious projects underway, the legendary game creator has the industry buzzing, eager to see what mind-blowing masterpieces he'll deliver next.
However, the visionary recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a more reflective, even anxious, side. He revealed that one of his current games in development has entered the "anxiety phase," admitting he's unsure how much longer he can maintain his creative output. While he hopes to keep creating until his last breath, the sheer volume of work and the growing physical and mental toll are forcing him to confront these questions.
"The toughest part of game development—both physically and mentally—is often what's called the 'anxiety phase'," Kojima explained. "Beyond mixing and Japanese voice recording, there's a mountain of unavoidable tasks: writing reviews, explanations, articles, interviews, discussions, and even non-game-related matters... This period is incredibly challenging."
In a follow-up tweet, he pondered how much longer he could sustain his creative development at his current age. Kojima mused:
"At this age, I can't help but wonder how much longer I can 'keep creating'? Of course, I hope to continue for a lifetime, but what about in ten or twenty years? Every day feels like a race against time.
"Yet, Ridley Scott, at 87, is still incredibly active. And when he was over 60—my age now—he released a classic like 'Gladiator'."
This isn't the first time Kojima has touched on his creative longevity. Back in 2021, shortly after his 58th birthday, he vowed to keep creating as long as his physical condition allowed. At the time, he stated, "Though my body is aging, as long as my creativity hasn't declined and my brain hasn't lost its creative power, I will continue to strive. It's my instinct, and it's what I love."