Gabe Newell asks Elon Musk for an invitation for Hideo Kojima at SpaceX

Recently, striking information has surfaced in a lawsuit between billionaires Elon Musk and Sam Altman about an email exchange between Gabe Newell, the founder of Valve, and Musk. In October 2018, Newell sent Musk an email asking whether Hideo Kojima, the well-known game designer, could get a tour of SpaceX.

The reason for the email

Newell’s email to Musk highlighted Kojima’s strong desire to go to space. Newell pointed to Musk’s innovative projects and thought he would be the right person to help make that wish come true. He noted that Kojima was genuinely interested in what the space company had to offer. Musk responded positively to Newell’s request, saying it would be great to meet Kojima and that the game designer would be very welcome to visit the rocket factory.

Hideo Kojima’s passion for space

In his book The Creative Gene, Hideo Kojima has laid out his deep-rooted desire to go to space. He has said that, if he could make one wish, it would be to see Earth from space. For Kojima, even a short stay in orbit would have been a dream, without necessarily needing to go to the Moon or Mars. The impact of that dream is so strong that he has even said he would be willing to give up his 45-year career as a game designer to make it happen.

AI and the Newell-Musk emails

The email exchange between Newell and Musk was not only about Kojima, though. They also discussed artificial intelligence (AI). Newell noted that Kojima was a big supporter of AI and the role technology could play in the future of work. Musk, who at the time had only limited involvement with OpenAI, explained that he was providing financial support and regularly speaking with Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. In the email, Musk said he had lost confidence in OpenAI as an effective counterweight to major tech companies like Google.

Uncertain outcome

It is currently unclear whether Hideo Kojima actually received the SpaceX tour, despite Musk’s invitation. The reason these emails have become public is tied to the lawsuits and the broader debate around AI, with Musk and Altman clashing over the direction of OpenAI. Since OpenAI was founded in 2015, Musk has repeatedly voiced concerns about the development and use of AI.

The situation highlights the interesting crossover of technology, space travel, and gaming, where the passions of people like Hideo Kojima not only cross boundaries, but also inspire across different fields.