Legendary anime filmmaker Mamoru Oshii, best known for directing the original Ghost in the Shell movie, has revealed that Fallout 4 is his favorite game and he has logged over 10,000 hours despite admitting there is “almost nothing left” for him to do.
The director shared the staggering playtime during a 30th anniversary interview, saying he still returns to Bethesda’s RPG more than a decade after first picking it up, with comments highlighted by IGN Japan.
But what keeps one of anime’s most influential creators wandering the wasteland long after most players moved on?
Ghost in the Shell director loves Fallout 4
When asked about his favorite game, Oshii did not hesitate: “Games? I can answer that immediately. It’s a game called Fallout 4. I’ve been playing it for over eight years,” the director said.
“The other day, I checked Steam, and it was about 8,000 hours. Before that, I played it on PlayStation, so combined, I think it exceeds 10,000 hours. I’m still playing it now.”
Even major new releases struggle to pull him away from the wasteland. Oshii revealed he quickly returned to the RPG after finishing another high-profile title.
“Death Stranding 2 ended recently, so while I was playing that, I focused on it, but once it was over, I had nothing left to do, so I went back to Fallout 4. There isn’t anything else I want to play. When Kojima’s new game comes out, I’ll play that. Other than that, it’s Fallout 4. It’s been like that for about ten years.”
Explaining why he keeps returning even after running out of things to do, Oshii pointed to the comfort of solitary exploration and the game’s slower pace.
“Walking through ruins with a rifle, wandering together with a dog, it feels like a game made to fulfill my own desires. It’s technically an action game, but there’s a system where you can aim, and the opponent goes into slow motion. Even someone who isn’t good at aiming can win. Without that, I probably wouldn’t have been able to play it.”
Despite admitting he has already exhausted most of what the RPG offers, Oshii suggested it has become part of his daily routine.
“Honestly, there’s almost nothing left for me to do in it. It’s been that way for more than four years. So now it’s half a routine.”
Interestingly, that dedication does not extend to the wider series, as he added, “I haven’t played Fallout 76. I could tell before even trying it that it wouldn’t suit me.”
Nearly a decade after release, Bethesda’s RPG is still attracting players, but few can say they’ve lived in its world quite like the Ghost in the Shell director.
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