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Japanese Video Game Legend Hideo Kojima Visits Russia

Vecherny Urgant / Youtube

Legendary game designer Hideo Kojima has arrived in Russia to promote his latest game, “Death Stranding,” at the IgroMir computer and video game expo.

“Death Stranding” is a post-apocalyptic action thriller created exclusively for the PlayStation 4 and set to be released on Nov. 8. The game’s main characters were designed to resemble stars like Mads Mikkelsen, Norman Reedus, Léa Seydoux and Guillermo del Toro.

The Japanese game designer visited the Russian late-night talk show “Evening Urgant” ahead of his appearance at IgroMir on Saturday.

“I don’t think that I’m a genius,” Kojima told host Ivan Urgant, responding to a question about his reputation as a genius in the gaming world.

“But if everybody calls me like that, I’ll probably become one someday.” 

Kojima, who is best known for the Metal Gear Solid series, also told Urgant that he’s inspired by Soviet director Andrei Tarkovsky.

“I’m surrounded by talented people who inspire me, especially those from whom I learned. Tarkovsky, for example. For me, genius people are those who inspire me.”

Russia’s VKontakte social network created an Easter egg for its users in honor of Kojima’s arrival. If users include the phrase “Kojima” or “Kojima is a genius” in Russian or English in a post, the words turn into a yellow button that, when pressed, reveals an animated figure of Kojima.

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