Metal Gear Solid V's creator has branded the notion that he delivers games late and over-budget a "misconception".
Speaking with Gamespot, the newly-independent creator Hideo Kojima insisted that he's well aware of timelines and budgets.
"A lot of people say that I spent too much money or take too much time, but that's a misconception," he explained.
"My last project was late about five or six months, but I've always kept my word on timelines and budget. For example, I do take three to four years to make games, but that's the plan from the start.
"I take a lot of time because I create my own teasers, posters, and I work on how to create the box for sales.
"Japanese creators are famous for being loose with schedules, and I think people put me in that category, but it's not reality. In my case, I'm a director and a producer, so I have to stay aware of production and the budget."
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Kojima was speaking at DICE - the gaming summit in the US - where he had taken to the stage for a session with film director Guillermo del Toro, each probing the other about their respective career paths.
Asked about his new Kojima Productions venture, Kojima (the man, not the company) seemed very positive.
"I feel extremely free right now," he said, "I am trying to make a big game with a very small team.
"I am doing exactly what I want to do. I have no intention of changing anything in order to make it sell more. I want to create something that I want to play."
