After spending 10,000 hours in Fallout 4 over eight years, Ghost in the Shell director Mamoru Oshii admits he’s more focused on bonding with Dogmeat than following the main quest.
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You might enjoy Fallout 4, and you might even love the latest entry in the sci-fi RPG series. But you probably don’t appreciate it as much as legendary Japanese filmmaker Mamoru Oshii, the mastermind behind 1995’s Ghost in the Shell, who has logged an astonishing 10,000 hours in the wasteland across both PC and console.
He revealed this during an interview celebrating the 30th anniversary of Ghost in the Shell, as noted by an outlet. When the conversation shifted to video games, he declared Fallout 4 his favorite, stating that it checks all his boxes for the medium.
The VATS system is a significant factor in this, as it slows down combat, which suits him better than the fast-paced nature of typical shooters. However, he still managed to invest 250 hours into the popular battle royale PUBG, even achieving a chicken dinner—no small feat, even for those with quick reflexes; he might be underselling his skills.
Oshii has previously shared his passion for Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic world, mentioning in an interview that he had been playing Fallout 4 for eight years as of December 2025. In that conversation, translated by another outlet, he outlined his strict rules for exploring the wasteland.
His only companion is Dogmeat, and he avoids any exploits or glitches. Those are fair—sensible, even. No buffs or stat boosters of any kind. Now we’re entering hardcore territory. He also refrains from any base-building.
Instead, Oshii plays as a lone outlaw, roaming the remnants of the United States. While he ignores the main quest, if the villain who harmed his family appears, he’s ready with a hail of bullets. The same fate awaits his child if they return as an enemy.
He has no loyalty to any factions. That’s a pretty intense way to experience the RPG, but it’s tempting to give it a shot. Oshii mentioned he initially planned to roleplay as a ruthless scavenger for about a year, but the game ended up consuming nearly a decade of his time. Bethesda can certainly add this endorsement to the growing list of praise they’re trying to live up to for Fallout 5.
