Hideo Kojima to deliver keynote at GDC 2026

The mind behind Metal Gear and Death Stranding becomes the first keynote speaker confirmed for GDC 2026.

At a Glance

Kojima will deliver a keynote on Thursday, March 12 at GDC Festival of Gaming.
"Restarting from Zero: A Message to Creators Considering Independence" explores the creation of Kojima Productions.
The keynote comes 10 years after Kojima departed Konami and established Death Stranding developer Kojima Productions.

Hideo Kojima has been revealed as a keynote speaker for GDC Festival of Gaming this coming March, promising a rousing address that explores the creation of Kojima Productions and imparts lessons from the studio’s ten years in independent development.

In a press release, Game Developer sibling organization GDC shares that Kojima’s keynote intends to explore everything from establishing the studio’s physical office and nurturing a brand identity to building a workforce and developing projects. It aims to do so based on insights gleaned from both wins and pitfalls experienced when establishing Kojima Productions in 2015.

The address, titled “Restarting from Zero: A Message to Creators Considering Independence” is currently slated for Thursday, March 12 during GDC 2026, which itself runs from March 9-13 in San Francisco, California.

“Hideo Kojima is one of the most influential creative voices of our time,” explains GDC president Nina Brown. “His work has shaped how the world experiences games. Having Kojima-san open the GDC Festival of Gaming sets the perfect tone for what this new era is all about: fearless creativity, bold ideas, and elevating the entire game-making ecosystem.”

“His journey embodies the spirit of reinvention that so many in the industry are navigating right now,” says Brown.

Related:GDC lowers ticket prices, streamlines pass types in Festival of Gaming ‘reimagination’

A nearly 40 year veteran of the game industry, Kojima is known largely for his work on the Metal Gear series at Konami, games that have influenced countless developers and projects since their inception. Following his split from Konami in 2015, Kojima established Kojima Productions as an independent development studio and would go on to release both Death Stranding and its recent sequel Death Stranding 2: On a Beach to much critical and audience acclaim. His innovative approach to narrative and his revolutionization of the stealth genre earned him a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 Game Developers Choice Awards, and he was later awarded a BAFTA Fellowship in 2020 for his contributions to the game industry.

Game Developer and GDC are sibling organizations under Informa Festivals.

GDC Festival of Gaming

Mar 9, 2026 TO Mar 13, 2026

San Francisco, CA

The GDC Festival of Gaming is where the entire B2B games industry comes together. From design and code to publishing, marketing, and investment, it’s a place to learn, connect, collaborate, and shape the future of games. If you make games happen, welcome home.