Kojima Productions Mascot Statue Available for $2,000
By Rob Gordon 31 December 2016
Kojima Productions reveals a half-scale statue based on company mascot Ludens, which is available for purchase – albeit at a hefty price tag of $2,000.
Ever since Hideo Kojima had his shocking split from Konami, video game fans have been racking their brains over the mysteries surrounding Death Stranding, his first project after the break. However, that’s not the only secret that Kojima Productions has been keeping, with even something as simple as the company mascot resulting in reveal teasers of its own. As it turns out, the Kojima Productions mascot itself has clearly grown popular, as now gamers will be able to own a statue based on the figure.
The Kojima Productions mascot, which is known by the name Ludens or occasionally Ludence, was certainly on the receiving end of a lot of speculation, which perhaps explains why there may be a clamor to own a statue of it. What may be a little more baffling, however, is the price tag that this statue is going for. Fans of Hideo Kojima’s work will definitely need to have some money in the bank for this one, with this Ludens statue retailing for $1999.99.
The statue, which is being manufactured by Prime 1 Studio, is part of a limited run of 150 units, and is available through SideshowToy.com. Clocking in at a whopping 63 inches tall, this half-scale model is pretty much the definition of a luxury item for video game fans, and will ship at some point in early 2018. Those desperate to own the statue but who lack the two grand required for an immediate payment do have another option – to pay in monthly instalments of $225 until the statue has been paid off.
Ludens, whose body and name were revealed earlier this year, has proven to be something of an enigma for gamers. Although the character does not seem to have direct ties to Death Stranding itself, many have suspected that there may be more to the mascot than meets the eye, especially given the detail put into the character thus far. In particular, fans of Kojima’s work have wondered about Ludens’ “extra-vehicular activity (EVA) creative suit,” and what significance this has overall.
All that’s known for certain about the character, however, is that he appears in the Kojima Productions logo movie, which may make the cost of this statue all the more curious. After all, in spite of the excitement surrounding Death Stranding, and around Kojima Productions now that it has moved outside of Konami’s framework, it’s still very early days for the project. Indeed, the title will only be entering full swing development in 2017.
Nonetheless, there is certainly a mystique around Kojima Productions and Death Stranding that is extremely compelling. Whether it be the mysteries unlocked in the game’s trailers or the fact that a former Konami president has joined to work on the title, there’s something about Death Stranding that makes it high on many a gamer’s most-wanted list. Whether that justifies a four-figure sum for a statue of a company mascot, however, is something that only the buyer can decide.
