In many ways, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was a game decades ahead of its time. Originally released in 2001, the title remained misunderstood for years, largely due to its controversial protagonist switch and a narrative that seemed to mirror its own predecessor excessively.
However, over the years, players have reevaluated the game as a chilling prophecy. Hideo Kojima appeared to predict a world where social media, information overload, and AI-driven control would reshape the fabric of society. Yet, according to the creator himself, this wasn't an act of prediction, but a warning.
In a new interview with Wired, Hideo Kojima was asked about AI gaining more control in the real world, just as seen in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and if he predicted that this era would come. 'Metal Gear Solid 2 is about digital society. In digital society, everything is preserved. It wasn't about AI, but interweaving digital data gaining a will of its own. When everyone is connected and exchanging opinions instantly, how does life change?" Kojima-san explained.
"I didn't predict it, but rather a future I didn't desire," the legendary game creator concluded with a sobering thought.
Despite his modesty, many remain unconvinced that Kojima doesn't possess a certain "prophetic" edge. Death Stranding, for instance, famously launched just months before the COVID-19 pandemic turned its themes of isolation and "hero couriers" into a global reality, themes that were further expanded in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
As Kojima moves forward with the experimental horror project OD (so experimental Kojima-san doesn't know if it will work) and his return to "Espionage Action" with Physint (which is still very early in development), we have to wonder: which part of our future is he warning us about now? Are you excited, or perhaps a little terrified, to see what he anticipates next? Let us know in the comments.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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