Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima isn’t just a fan of video game photo modes, he’s a big believer in using them to improve your own skills in the real world.
“If you keep taking pictures, even in-game, your sensitivity and skills will naturally improve. Composition, layout, focus,” Kojima tweeted. “Most importantly, you will know what you want to photograph. After that, the in-game experience will surely come in handy when you shoot with a real camera or smartphone.”
A number of games, especially those of the open-world genre variety, come equipped with a built-in photo mode that allows users to take a perfect snapshot of the moment that they’re in. These modes have gotten more advanced over the years, and these days it’s commonplace to see that function augmented by advanced photographic features such as setting your aperture, tightening your focal distance, or applying a few filters.
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There are still some people who make fun of the fact that you are taking virtual pictures in the game. If you keep taking pictures, even in-game, your sensitivity and skills will naturally improve. Composition, layout, focus, etc.— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) August 29, 2021
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Most importantly, you will know what you want to photograph. After that, the in-game experience will surely come in handy when you shoot with a real camera or smartphone.— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) August 29, 2021
Sony’s first-party games in particular have made great strides forward in this area, as everything from Marvel’s Spider-Man to Ratchet Clank: Into the Rift features a photography suite that allows for an incredible amount of customization. Death Stranding is no stranger to these shutterbug systems, as players could document their journey through various snapshots.
After selling 5 million copies on PS4 and PC, Death Stranding’s next chapter kicks off in September with a director’s cut edition that will expand on the Social Strand system introduced in the game. As for Kojima, the 58-year-old developer plans to still keep on producing games while his mind remains sharp enough to do so, and it’s rumored that he may have inked a new deal with Microsoft to bring his next game to Xbox.
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