This in from TomKiss on Twitter: MGS creator (and GDC2009 keynote speaker) Hideo Kojima is ISO suggestions for his next Zone of the Enders game. The first in the series, hugely anticipated, featured a substantial slice of fast-paced mech on mech shooter action (sorry), received meh reactions from critics, but positive responses from gamers: clearly enough that publishers Konami are ready to release a third game in the series. All reports on the second iteration suggested that Kojima got it right the second time around - "this is the game ZOE should have been" (Gamespot) and "Great" (IGN) - but it appears he's engaging with his audience to make the third game better.
According to PlayStation Lifestyle, Kojima mentioned on his latest podcast that he wants to see how popular a third game would be. Is this a games-meets-web2.0 moment or is he worried he's about to lose his position on the top of the heap, displaced by a young upstart with freaky new ideas?
Crowdsourcing game ideas and talent may be a good way to open up the AAA games industry silo. As the creative industries reach out to their readers/viewers/participants for their input, it makes sense that the games industry does too. Particularly if they're interested in staying afloat by expanding their audiences. It's possible too; take a look at Dave Perry's sprawling user-generated MMO concept. Throw them a bone and you'll get a deluge of contribution. Everyone's got a great novel idea; everyone's writing a movie script. Surely every gamer has a game idea brewing inside them?
Of course, this may not be what Kojima is after. He may simply be looking to suck ideas from the fans because he's stuck in a rut. Another nod should be made here to Perry's topsecret; the beast lumbers on, unappreciated and bloated. What would happen if you gave a million people the task of creating a film? Chaos. I imagine the same would happen in the development of a AAA game.
Although I applaud Kojima's apparent transparency (and certainly Perry's chutzpa), I can't help but feel his method is a coat-tails response to the mad rush of user-generated collaboration. A AAA game needs a visionary, so if you're planning on submitting your best game idea ever, perhaps it would be better to make it yourself, and just give Kojima your scraps. Keep the bone for yourself.
