TGS 06: Kojima investing in stock-market game

***wraggster*** · September 23rd, 2006, 23:50

Metal Gear series creator Hideo Kojima revealed during the Tokyo Game Show that his development team is working on a new title for the Nintendo DS--but it's not the usual type of game that's expected from Kojima Productions.

Following the trend of the many "training games" being released on the DS, Kojima said that his team is working on "Kabushiki Baibai Trainer Kabutore" (Stock Transaction Trainer Kabutore).

The game teaches players the basics on how to do stock trading, using real Tokyo Stock Exchange market data from the past five years. For novice traders, the game features step-by-step lessons in stock market transactions featuring a lecture mode and story mode. For those well-versed in the ups and downs of stocks there's an expert mode which lets the game function as a market simulator.

"Video games have been changing during the past one to two years. The recent trend is towards training software, which brings affluence to life rather than drama," said Kojima during his stage appearance. "Although we've been releasing games for the hardcore audiences up until now, we're really about taking on new challenges."

Kabushiki Baibai Trainer Kabutore seems like a type of game that would only come out domestically in Japan. But with titles like Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day also selling well across the Pacific, there's always the possibility that a localized version might do the same.