Hideo Kojima builds worlds that millions get lost in

With narrative storytelling, multimillion-dollar budgets and A-list casts, Hideo Kojima’s arthouse games — including the critically acclaimed “Metal Gear Solid” and “Death Stranding” franchises — are as cinematic as, well, cinema. “Things that are too comfortable won’t stay inside the player,” he told CNN, reflecting on the often unsettling worlds he creates. “I intentionally set things up so that you wouldn’t understand everything unless you chewed on it multiple times.” His studio Kojima Productions celebrates its 10th anniversary this month, with the creator already looking to a busy year ahead. Disney+ recently announced that it is turning “Death Stranding” into an animated series. A live-action movie adaptation by powerhouse indie studio A24 is also in the works. And his next game “OD,” a horror title currently in production, was co-written by “Get Out” director Jordan Peele.