As Metal Gear Solid 2 surpasses its 23rd anniversary, Hideo Kojima says "I sacrificed many things to create the games the way I wanted"

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
(Image credit: Konami)

Hideo Kojima, the legendary mastermind behind smash-hit titles like Death Stranding and Metal Gear, shares he's made a good few personal sacrifices while designing his games to ensure that they're everything he envisions.

Speaking in a recent post commemorating Metal Gear Solid 2 and its impressive 23 years, Kojima describes how much the community's dedication means to him and explains why creating his iconic games hasn't always been easy - on the contrary, creation was a process marked by sacrifice. "Good morning," he writes. "I cannot express enough 'happiness' in words how I feel, that even after 23 years people remember."

Kojima continues: "I sacrificed many things to create the games the way I wanted, but I am confident that I was right of what my life has been. Thank you very much." The renowned developer then shares two images - "a welcome box one time when I checked in a hotel" referencing "The Orange" cardboard box that Snake uses in Metal Gear, and some seriously nostalgic official Sons of Liberty artwork.

It's hard not to feel many different things reading Kojima's post - after all, it offers a glimpse not only of the past but of his own journey to the present as a creator. Thankfully, however, there are plenty of Kojima bangers still yet to come. The ever-mysterious OD, a horror title described by the dev as "a bit risky" and "a game like no other," is currently in the works, as is the now long-awaited Death Stranding 2.

Here are some of the best horror games to play while you wait for more news on OD. 

Anna Koselke
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.