Hideo Kojima, acclaimed game designer and founder of Kojima Productions, recently opened up about how the Covid-19 pandemic influenced his rewrite of Death Stranding 2. In an interview with Japanese pop star Nocchi on Natalie, a Japanese entertainment news site, he shared his insights.
Kojima initially penned the narrative for Death Stranding 2 before the pandemic. However, as the world began to pivot towards remote work and digital connectivity, the concept of connection he championed in the original game seemed to take a new form. This newfound emphasis on what Kojima refers to as “pseudo-connections” spurred him to restructure the entire script for the sequel.
An intriguing aspect of Kojima’s game development approach is his willingness to embrace constraints. According to the game designer, working within limitations helps him balance his ideas and the feasibility of bringing them to life. Rather than seeing constraints as roadblocks, Kojima uses them as creative prompts, affirming that creating something from what can’t be done is more accessible.
While recounting his creative process, Kojima also addressed technology’s role in modern game development. He acknowledges the growing similarities between movie and game production, mainly due to the increasingly digital nature of both mediums. However, Kojima maintains his focus on the unique capabilities of interactive media, continuously exploring what sets games apart from films.
The conversation took a deeper turn when Kojima discussed his decision to rewrite Death Stranding 2’s script. The original game centered around the theme of connection, symbolizing unity and togetherness. However, with the onset of the pandemic, society was forced to adopt “pseudo-connections” like remote interactions, which Kojima believes fall short of fulfilling human lives.
In response, he reconsidered the concept of “connection” in Death Stranding 2, leading to a profound shift in the game’s narrative. The game designer said, “I felt that such pseudo-connections alone would not lead to fulfilling human lives. After all, humans need to go into the outside world and move.”
Despite the challenges and changes the pandemic has brought, Kojima continues to push boundaries and deliver extraordinary experiences. Just as his games do, he too embodies the idea of “delivering the extraordinary,” revealing in the interview his seemingly far-fetched personal aspiration: to become an astronaut.
Kojima’s commitment to exploring new ideas and pushing the envelope and his innovative spirit shines through in his games and vision for the future. As fans eagerly await Death Stranding 2, it’s clear that Kojima’s post-pandemic narrative will offer a unique reflection on our world’s evolving understanding of connection.
