At a Japanese launch event for Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, producer Hideo Kojima shared his thoughts on the future of the gaming industry, envisioning an era where closed platforms are nothing but a past relic. Kojima feels consoles in their traditional form are headed to the chopping block during this transition as content will be delivered anywhere at anytime, a phenomenon otherwise known as cloud gaming.

In the near future, we’ll have games that don’t depend on any platform. Gamers should be able to take the experience with them in their living rooms, on the go, when they travel — wherever they are and whenever they want to play. It should be the same software and the same experience.

Speaking to Reuters at the event, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan president Hiroshi Kawano was understandably taken aback by Kojima’s vision, calling it a “bold prediction.” Companies like OnLive have already kick-started efforts towards such a future. While the technology isn’t quite there yet, with low-latency broadband connections becoming more prevalent across major continental areas, perhaps Kojima’s depiction of the industry may very well become a reality sooner than we think.

Kojima isn’t the first to share such aspirations. German-based developer Crytek, the creators of Crysis, believe that cloud gaming is a “promising venture,” but feel it won’t be viable until 2013 at the earliest. Still, that’s only three years from now. A short time span in the fast-moving world of tech.

Japan’s video game visionary: the console is dying [Reuters]

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