Games designer Hideo Kojima to receive Bafta Fellowship

Renowned video games designer Hideo Kojima is to be presented with the Bafta Fellowship for his creative contribution to the gaming industry.

The creator of the Metal Gear series will receive the prize at the Bafta Games Awards in London in April.

The Fellowship is Bafta’s highest accolade, awarded in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film, games or television – past recipients have included Grand Theft Auto creator Rockstar Games and British developer Peter Molyneux.

Kojima, a writer, designer and director with more than 20 years’ experience in the industry, is considered one of the biggest figures in video games and the “father of stealth games” for his work on the Metal Gear series, which is also known for its story-telling and cinematic-style presentation.

That series and Kojima’s work on it has spanned more than 25 years and over 20 games across different platforms and consoles.

In 2015, his own studio, Kojima Productions, became independent and released its most recent game – Death Stranding – in 2019.

It has since gone on to win multiple awards.

On his Bafta accolade, Kojima said: “Thank you very much for this precious Bafta Fellowship award.

“I am very honoured and would like to take this moment to reflect on the many predecessors that came before me, as I deeply respect their contributions to entertainment, whether in movies, television, or games.

“I would also like to thank those who have supported me over the years and I will continue my commitment to creating new and innovative ways that will push the world of ‘play’ entertainment forward.”

Bafta chief executive Amanda Berry said: “I am delighted that we are recognising Hideo Kojima’s remarkable career with a Bafta Fellowship, the highest accolade presented by the Academy, at the Bafta Games Awards on Thursday 2 April.

“Kojima is the trailblazing creator behind multiple games and is revered around the world for his innovative work.”

– Hideo Kojima will receive the Fellowship at the Bafta Games Awards, taking place in London on April 2, with the nominations set to be announced on Tuesday March 3.