More Metal Gear Rising-like spinoffs very possible, Kojima says

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance may be the first of many Metal Gear spinoffs handled by external studios. Series creator Hideo Kojima told IGN that he was pleasantly surprised by the collaboration with Platinum Games.

"Intially we thought this spin-off with Metal Gear Rising was kind of an exception; it was a new thing for us--but that said, it went remarkably well, and working with Platinum Games we were able to achieve a sort of synergy where the final product was greater than the sum of its parts," he said.

Kojima said numbered titles in the series will remain under his care, or at least Kojima Productions'. But for offshoots, which can have more flexible styles and storylines, he's open to anyone who shows enthusiasm and respect for Metal Gear's fundamentals.

"You know honestly it's not a matter of choosing a developer in Japan or in the West," Kojima said. "It's just finding somebody who can really understand the world and setting of Metal Gear … You need to choose somebody who would understand the subtle nuances of the cultural aspects of the franchise. If we could find somebody who could understand that, who could handle it well, then that's definitely a possibility."

Kojima Productions said in December it would be happy to work with Platinum Games on another Metal Gear Rising.