In a recent essay for the Japanese magazine An-An, Hideo Kojima revisits the 1970 World Expo in Osaka, crediting it with influencing his work in games like Metal Gear and Death Stranding.

Kojima shared, “I experienced the ‘harmony between the future and the world’ up-close.”

The Expo, themed “Progress and Harmony for Mankind”, featured participation from 76 countries and 32 organizations. It even had a theme song called Hello from all over the world, which became memorable for its repetitiveness.

At the time, Kojima was young, having recently finished elementary school, and visited the Expo numerous times. Reflecting on his experiences, he voiced strong connections with the diverse cultures presented there, stating that the interactions he had at the Expo significantly shaped his perspective and laid the groundwork for his future endeavors in game design.

Kojima remarked, “Without that Expo, my future-oriented approach and globalism would never have developed. Neither Metal Gear nor Death Stranding would have been created.”

The designer criticized the upcoming Expo 2025, expressing disappointment upon finding that the organizers were hesitant to embrace a broader vision for the event. He revealed past interactions where he suggested innovative concepts that were dismissed due to budget constraints, recounting, “I offered a variety of ideas but the young bureaucrats said, ‘We don’t have the money.’ I haven’t had any contact with them since.”

Hours after reminiscing about the past, Kojima mentioned his own personal regret about missing the moon rock exhibit back in 1970, where he humorously noted a recent trip to see a different moon rock from Apollo 17, which brought him a sense of unfulfillment. He remarked on the difference between the dreams he held as a child and the visions of the future he perceives today.