You may remember Shinji Hashimoto, producer of Front Mission Evolved, tweeted about another collaboration with Metal Gear Solid director Hideo Kojima. When I spoke with Hashimoto, I tried to get him to spill the beans.
“I saw on your Twitter account you have another surprise with Kojima-san. How did you hook up with Kojima-san for Front Mission Evolved and could you give us a hint on what it is?”
“Sorry, I can’t say what it is,” Hashimoto replied. “I meet with Kojima-san on a relatively regular basis. Nomura-san and I meet with Kojima-san regularly to chat the future of the gaming industry and share ideas. Within that discussion, I asked Kojima-san if Square Enix would be able to make the Metal Gear Solid [:Peace Walker] figurines.” The Front Mission Evolved and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker figures have interchangeable parts.
“Through that kind of discussion we set up another surprise with Kojima-san,” Hashimoto continued.
“Can you give us a tiny hint?”, I pleaded. Hashimoto laughed and answered, “It’s a tiny surprise! We want to cross promote our products. There is a little surprise, it’s small, but it’s coming.”
Hashimoto continually updates the Square Enix Members Twitter account for Japan with daily weather comments and pictures of chocobo goods. While we were talking, he was tweeting about the Lakers. A Boston Celtics fan replied with a nasty comment during the exchange.
“The great thing about Twitter is we can provide real-time information to our fans and receive real-time feedback, as well. The former Prime Minister of Japan [Yukio Hatoyama] was tweeting a lot, so that inspired me and Wada-san to start tweeting. I want to use Twitter as an opportunity to have conversations and provide information for fans,” said Hashimoto.
“I never get a break from it, so I wonder when the fad will die down so I can stop writing so much,” Hashimoto joked.
