Following the announcement that Hideo Kojima and Kojima Productions would be partnering with Sony to bring their first game to PlayStation, the new studio website went live, giving us a look at the logo and a message from Kojima.
Here’s what he had to say on their site:
We are Homo Ludens (Those who play).
From the moment we enter this world, we instinctively invent ways to have “fun,” and share our inventions with those around us. We are not asked to do this, nor do we need reasons to create. It is simply who we are.
We find one another and compete with one another. We laugh together and cry together; all while playing together. Our experiences bind us and liberate us. To share our most valuable experiences, we create stories, invent tools, and evolve the art of play. Play has been our ally since the dawn of civilization.
“Playing” is not simply a pastime, it is the primordial basis of imagination and creation. Truth be told, Homo Ludens (Those who Play) are simultaneously Homo Faber (Those who Create).
Even if the earth were stripped of life and reduced to a a barren wasteland, our imagination and desire to create would survive – beyond survival, it would provide hope that flowers may one day bloom again. Through the invention of play, our new evolution awaits.
Kojima Productions – We are Homo Ludens. We are those who play.
On Twitter, Kojima addressed the logo, saying, “Looks like a medieval knight and also a space suit. It expresses the vision of ‘aiming the new world with the latest technology and pioneering spirit.'”
Prior to all this, he also confirmed that his contract with Konami officially expired on December 15:
My employment contract with Konami has been terminated as of Dec 15th, so today marks a new start for me. I’m committed to be involved in creative activities for as long as I live. Look forward to what’s coming.
In the press release for the opening of Kojima Productions, they said the studio “will begin focusing its efforts in developing products that will push the boundaries of innovation and ignite consumer interest worldwide.”
There are numerous job openings at Kojima Productions, including Lead Programmer, UI Designer, Environment Artist, and much more.
[Source: Kojima Productions, Hideo Kojima (Twitter 1, 2, 3)]
