Hideo Kojima is back in the spotlight after his comments on Asian representation in video games went viral on social media. In a recent interview with IGN JapanThe creator of Death Stranding said that the skin of Asians, especially women and young people, is too beautiful and delicate to be depicted realistically using current graphics technology.
Kojima: "Asian Skin Looks Like CGI in Games"
Kojima explained that he often chooses Western actors for the main characters in his games, such as Norman Reedus and Lea Seydoux, because their skin details are more easily captured by motion capture technology and modern graphics engines. According to him, Asian skin that is very smooth and lacks texture makes the rendering look like CGI, not like a real person.
Even so, Kojima claimed to have tried new technologies to improve the visual quality of Asian characters in Death Stranding 2. He said the results were better, but there was still room for improvement in the future. One example is the presence of Shioli Kutsuna, a Japanese actress who is also fluent in English, making the voice recording and lip sync process easier.
The Gamer Community and the Gaming Industry Respond
Kojima's statement immediately drew reactions from the gamer community and industry observers. Many questioned the technical reasoning behind the statement, considering games like Yakuza, Judgment, and Stellar Blade have managed to showcase Asian characters very well, even with smaller budgets.
Some gamers consider Kojima's reasoning to be more of a personal preference or marketing strategy, rather than purely technological constraints. Others highlighted the importance of Asian character representation in AAA games, especially as the global gaming industry is increasingly demanding diversity and inclusivity.
Technical Challenges or Personal Preferences?
From a technical standpoint, it is true that displaying extremely smooth skin and minimal textures can be a challenge in 3D graphics. However, advances in graphics technology and modern game engines have made it possible to realistically create characters with various skin types. Many game studios have proven that it is possible to represent Asian characters well without sacrificing visual quality.
Hope for the Future of Asian Representation in Games
Hideo Kojima's statement about Asian skin being "too beautiful to be portrayed in games" became a hot topic of discussion in the gaming industry. This issue highlights the importance of technological innovation, diversity, and fair representation in the modern gaming world. The gamer community hopes that more Asian characters will feature prominently in major games in the future, as technology advances and the importance of inclusivity is realized.
