Video games are rarely about walking. Usually, you’re shooting a plasma rifle or jumping on a turtle’s head. But in 2019, Hideo Kojima released a game where you mostly just hike through the mud with a ladder on your back. People called it a "walking simulator." Some called it a masterpiece. To explain how we got there, we finally got Hideo Kojima: Connecting Worlds, a documentary that hit Disney+ and Hulu in early 2024.
Honestly, it’s a weird film.
If you’re expecting a gritty, tell-all exposé about why he left Konami, you’re going to be disappointed. Because of NDAs, the documentary barely whispers the name of his former employer. Instead, director Glen Milner focuses on the birth of Kojima Productions and the sheer, exhausting grind of making Death Stranding. It’s a 60-minute window into the brain of a man who basically views himself as a bridge-builder for humanity.
What Hideo Kojima: Connecting Worlds Actually Reveals
The documentary opens in 2016. We see Kojima unboxing a computer in a tiny office. There were only four people back then. Think about that: the guy who made Metal Gear Solid was starting from scratch in a room that probably smelled like new carpet and desperation.
The film spends a lot of time on his childhood in Osaka. This is the best part. We get these cool, retro-style anime segments that recreate his early life. It turns out his father was pretty restrictive. Kojima admits that his father’s death was a turning point—it actually gave him the freedom to pursue games without feeling like a disappointment.
The Cult of the Auteur
One thing that rubs some viewers the wrong way is how the film treats Kojima. It’s a bit of a "genius" worship session. You’ve got George Miller, Guillermo del Toro, and Grimes all showing up to say how brilliant he is.
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At one point, someone literally calls him a messiah.
Is it a bit much? Kinda. But the footage of him actually working shows why people are so obsessed. He is a total micromanager. The documentary shows him obsessing over the color of the HUD and the exact way a road curves in the game. He even says he bug-checks games in his dreams. That’s not a joke; the man doesn’t seem to have a "power off" button.
Why the Fans are Split
If you look at Reddit or Letterboxd, the reviews for Hideo Kojima: Connecting Worlds are all over the place. Hardcore fans love the behind-the-scenes (BTS) footage of him directing Norman Reedus and Mads Mikkelsen. Seeing the performance capture sessions is genuinely fascinating. You see the raw, awkward moments before the digital polish is added.
But critics argue the film is too shallow. Here’s why:
- The Runtime: At just under an hour, it feels rushed. You can't fit 30 years of career history into 59 minutes.
- The Missing Link: Since he can't talk about Metal Gear, there’s a giant hole in the narrative. It’s like a documentary about Paul McCartney that isn't allowed to mention The Beatles.
- The Praise: It feels like a PR piece. There’s no mention of the "crunch" culture or the actual difficulties of game development beyond "it's hard to be an indie."
Connecting the Dots
The title isn't just a marketing phrase. Death Stranding came out just months before the COVID-19 pandemic. Suddenly, a game about being isolated and delivering packages to people stuck in bunkers felt like a documentary itself.
Kojima talks about how he felt lonely growing up. He wanted to make a game where you feel the presence of other people without ever seeing them. In the game, you use bridges built by other players. You don't see the players, but you see their help. That’s the core of his philosophy. He’s obsessed with "knots" and "strands." He basically believes that technology is making us more connected but also more miserable, and he’s trying to fix it with a controller.
The Famous Friends
The documentary is a "who’s who" of cool people. You get:
- George Miller: The Mad Max director talking about storytelling.
- Norman Reedus: Looking slightly confused but very supportive.
- Chvrches: Discussing the music and the emotional weight of the project.
- Nicolas Winding Refn: Who basically acts as Kojima's European art-house counterpart.
Is It Worth Watching?
If you’re a gamer, yes. If you’re a film buff interested in "auteur theory," also yes. But go in with the right expectations. This isn't a "how-to" on game design. It’s a character study of a man who lives in the "uncanny valley between comedy and extreme earnestness," as Grimes puts it in the film.
Kojima is a guy who takes video games more seriously than almost anyone else on the planet. Whether you think he’s a visionary or just a guy with a massive budget and a weird hobby, Hideo Kojima: Connecting Worlds proves that the industry would be a lot more boring without him.
The film ends with him looking toward the future. With Death Stranding 2 and the mysterious OD on the horizon, the "connections" are only going to get weirder.
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Actionable Insight for Fans:
If you want to understand Kojima's work better after watching the doc, go back and play Death Stranding in "Online Mode." Pay attention to the structures left by other players. The documentary explains the why, but the gameplay is the only way to actually feel the connection he's talking about. If you've already finished it, keep an eye on Kojima Productions' social media; they often drop small "making-of" clips that didn't make the final cut of the film.