Ourselves, we're like the people who made their own films before…

“Ourselves, we're like the people who made their own films before making it big in Hollywood. I think we've got the skills we need to make anything we want, anywhere we want, on any budget we want. That's where my pride, or my confidence, comes from.”

Kojima said in 2009 that he and Ishii were born at the right time: they began with small games and had to do everything themselves, whereas games development these days is completely compartmentalized — to the point that there are people who do nothing but make the logo for a game, which he finds a shame. He compared them to people who made their own films before making it big in Hollywood, and said his pride, or his confidence, comes from having the skills to make anything they want, anywhere they want, on any budget they want.