Last year I was contacted by the #1 book publisher in Russia, Eksmo, about allowing them to create a Russian version of The Kojima Code. Of course I was delighted to reach an agreement with them and help them in any way I could! The prospect of sharing my greatest work with millions of new readers is priceless. And now the final product is ready!
Having concluded my part in the agreement months ago, I didn’t get any updates about it anymore, but instead I learned about the book’s release through a Twitter user mentioning it. It was linked to Hideo Kojima’s Japanese account and my own. This got me searching for more information about it, and now I have some answers.
“Kojima Is A Genius”
The title of the book was, understandably, changed from “The Kojima Code” to something more accessible in foreign language. The Russian version is “Kojima Is A Genius: The Story of The Developer Who Changed The Video Game Industry” and I like that. The translation work was done by a very popular and respected translator, Alexandra “Alfin” Golubeva, who previously translated Blood Sweat and Pixels with great success. So I can be confident that the material has been in the very best hands.
Thankfully I was able to contact Alfin and ask her about the translation process, the Russian view on Kojima, and more. What I found out was very interesting. According to her, the Russian gaming culture treats Kojima as a major post-ironic meme celebrity, with a rabid devotion that constantly straddles the line between sarcasm and love. They greatly enjoy his Instagram, Twitter account, and his weirdness. Whether they are prepared for a detailed analysis of the games and an explanation of his creative journey is yet to be seen, but the Eksmo retail site is showing that it’s within the bestsellers list. Who knows where it may go.
Alfin is a game developer herself: the narrative designer and localization lead for the psychological horror game Pathologic 2, which was released very recently. She’s part of the company Ice-Pick Lodge. Our conversation helped me grapple with the reality of my book being launched into a whole different side of the planet. She said that she was never a fan of Kojima herself, but that the book caused her to appreciate the interesting struggles and choices of the bizarre creator. I’m very grateful for her effort.
What’s next?
If you’re a Russian reader you may want to check out the “Kojima Genius” version published by Eksmo. If you’re from a country with another language and you want to see it translated into your own native tongue, I suppose you might contact one of your major book publishers on social media and get them interested in buying the translation rights so we can do the same thing for French, Italian, Spanish, and more!
Thank you very much to everyone who has bought a copy of the book in any language and any format. It has already surpassed my expectations. Everything from now on is a true blessing. The positive reviews have been especially encouraging and amazing to read.