Most developers would see overwhelmingly positive pre-launch feedback as a reason to celebrate. It’s a different story for Hideo Kojima and Death Stranding.
As June 26 nears, early hands-on previews of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach are full of praise, perhaps too much for Kojima. Fans and critics like the sequel’s improved combat, mechanics, and world design, but Kojima wishes it caused more controversy than praise.
This mindset isn’t new for him. When the original Death Stranding launched in 2019, it split audiences down the middle. Some called it brilliant and bold; others labeled it a slow, confusing “walking simulator.” Kojima considered the controversy a creative victory.
He said four out of ten players liked the original, while six dismissed it, and he was fine with that. That balance of love and hate told him he had made something that pushed boundaries. With the sequel, internal testing showed near-universal approval, which Kojima sees as a sign that the game might be too safe, too widely accepted.
Still, Death Stranding 2 doesn’t fall into the usual sequel traps. It grows from the original game’s core concepts with important upgrades. The terrain becomes more unpredictable with new hazards such as sandstorms and earthquakes.
Players now have monorails for long-distance travel, animal mounts, and a wide variety of weapons for combat. Even little things like placing Sam’s backpack on the ground during stealth show a push toward more player choice and active sequences.
Kojima’s making some changes based on player feedback—but only when it fits what he originally had in mind. The key point for Kojima is that mechanics evolve, but the story and themes remain fixed. “I’m not interested in making something that appeals to everyone,” he recently said in multiple interviews, and his design philosophy clearly reflects that.
He truly values originality since games stick with players even if they cause confusion or frustration. Even so, Kojima realizes Kojima Productions requires financial security. He’s made clear that while controversy is acceptable, failure isn’t possible. The sequel must do well to keep the team employed and the studio alive.
Death Stranding 2 needs to strike a balance between being innovative enough to stand out and accessible enough to avoid turning players off. Despite his craving for controversy, Kojima isn’t backing away from ambition. With a runtime reportedly nearing 75 hours, new traversal systems, refundable skill points, and a more fluid combat system, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is shaping up to be his most layered title yet.
The game has gone gold, and there’s a world tour planned for its release. So while fans and critics might be more unified this time around, Kojima is still aiming to disrupt expectations. He doesn’t want Death Stranding 2 to be comfortable—he wants it to be unforgettable. And if that means ruffling a few feathers down the road, all the better.