Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima has founded a new independent game studio Kojima Productions , which has partnered with Sony for its first project, a new franchise that Kojima told IGN will be "slightly more edgy."

<em>Producer Ken Imaizumi (left), director Hideo Kojima (middle) and artist Yoji Shinkawa (right) are reunited as the core of the new Kojima Productions.</em>

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The PlayStation Project is Top Secret

“ I’ll keep creating games until the day I die.

Games Come First, But Aren’t the End

Exploring New Territory With Kojima Productions

“ I'm...focusing on game creation at first.

Kojima Productions’ Logo Mirrors Its Journey

The Studio Still Hasn’t Decided What Game Engine to Use

Japanese Console Trends Aren’t a Concern

Both Kojima and Shinkawa Expressed Gratitude to Fans

We spoke to Kojima in Tokyo for his first public interview since reports that he was leaving Konami after the completion of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. He will be joined at his new studio by former Metal Gear Solid artist Yoji Shinkawa and producer Kenichiro Imaizumi. Both men will fill senior roles overlooking art design and production respectively.While Kojima was eager to answer our questions about his future, he offered no comments about his former employer, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, or the future of Metal Gear series.Instead, Hideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa were eager to discuss the state of the games industry, Kojima Productions "I want to create something that’s what people expect, but at the same time will have something new that people haven’t seen before," Kojima said, noting specifically that "it will be a complete game."Yoji Shinkawa added, “We’ve been working on a franchise that is beloved and has recognizable characters. One of my big goals is, visually, with whatever characters we create, to go beyond that, to be more recognizable, more beloved. That’s definitely one of the goals I have when it comes to the art side.”For its first project, Kojima said, "I’m thinking smaller-scale, not too many people, and focusing on game creation at first." From there, Kojima says it’s possible the studio could expand beyond games.While Hideo Kojima wants to deliver what his fans expect from him -- “I think that’s games” -- video game development isn’t necessarily the only thing Kojima Productions is interested in long-term."The focus is on digital content, so we could consider movies, animations, anything," Kojima said. "But first I think people expect games from me. That’s where I want to put my focus. Once we have an established IP in games, something solid that satisfies people, then we can consider movies and videos."Kojima reiterated once more that he’s still interested in working with his Silent Hills partner Guillermo del Toro, whether it’s a game, film, anime, or something else entirely.With the new Kojima Productions, the team aims to maintain the studio's pedigree for making high quality games.Shinkawa told IGN he’ll be overseeing the entirety of Kojima Productions’ art, including "characters, concepts for the backgrounds, concepts for the mechs," and more.“One thing that’s different is I want to accept challenges and do things I wasn’t able to do before,” Shinkawa added. “I want to expand, on a personal level, the things I can do.”The Kojima Productions logo differs drastically from its relatively simple earlier iteration. The familiar fox has been replaced by an ornate skull wrapped around something more mechanical.“I’ve always loved astronauts, and [the new Kojima Productions logo] is designed so it can be seen as a medieval knight or an astronaut’s helmet,” Kojima said. “The concept is, with new technology and a pioneer spirit, we want to bring you to a new realm – within the digital world, I mean – we want to travel together with you to a new realm to which no one has gone before.”He continued, “As for the skeleton, we’re homo sapiens – people of wisdom – but we’re also homo ludens – people who play – and the concept behind this logo is that: With new technology and a pioneer spirit, we’ll deliver play to a new world.”While at Konami, Kojima and his team built the Fox Engine, an impressive software framework capable of high quality photorealistic graphics. It was a massive undertaking that took several years of development.For his new studio, Kojima Productions is still discussing and analyzing what framework the team will use.“We could go either way,” Kojima said, “whether it’s using an existing engine or making another engine. We’ll have to do some research before making a decision on that one.”“I make games in Japan for a global market,” Kojima said when asked about his view of console sales’ downward trend in Japan. “As long as there’s a market out there in the world for making games, I’m not too focused on what’s happening in the domestic market in Japan.“However, because I make games for all the world, I want to make games that go to a global market. If there are very fun games are out there, I believe they will eventually find their way to Japan. People in Japan will start consuming them.”"One thing that happened through this period, the voice of the fans, the people who expected a lot, they gave me courage," Shinkawa said. "They made me feel really good. I felt really gratified having worked so hard in creating games and doing the art I create. I want to correspond to the fans, to get back to them, and I think working again with Mr. Kojima is a great way to do this."Kojima added, "I’ve been in this industry for 30 years. I turned 52 this year. I’m getting to a new start, and I am very confident. I’ll keep creating games until the day I die. Rest assured I’m making more games, something more fun, something you haven’t seen, and it would be great if I could count on the fans to support me in this."For more on the future of Kojima Productions, stay tuned to IGN.

Mitch Dyer is an Editor at IGN. Talk to him about Dota 2, movies, books, and other stuff on Twitter at @MitchyD and subscribe to MitchyD on Twitch Jose Otero is an Editor at IGN and host of Nintendo Voice Chat. You can follow him on Twitter