Hideo Kojima on Creativity and Crunch During Death Stranding 2 Development

Hideo Kojima, the visionary creator behind the Metal Gear series, recently shared his thoughts on the grueling process of game development and his own future in the industry. In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Kojima revealed that he and his team at Kojima Productions are currently in the midst of "crunch time" for what is likely their upcoming title, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. This period, described as the most demanding part of game development both physically and mentally, involves a range of tasks from mixing and Japanese voice recording to writing comments, explanations, essays, interviews, and handling non-game-related work.

Despite the industry's efforts to move away from crunch, where developers work extended hours and even on days off for prolonged periods, Kojima's candid admission highlights the pressures that persist in game development. While he did not specifically mention Death Stranding 2, the game, slated for a 2025 release, is the most likely project currently in the crunch phase, compared to the studio's other projects, OD and Physint, which are in earlier stages of development.

Kojima's reflections on his career and creativity were sparked not by the current crunch period but by his recent purchase of a Ridley Scott biography. At 61, Kojima is contemplating how much longer he can remain creatively active, expressing a desire to continue for the rest of his life. He draws inspiration from Scott, who at 87 is still actively directing and produced the masterpiece Gladiator past the age of 60. Kojima's determination to keep going suggests that fans of his work have no immediate reason to worry about his retirement.

An extended look at Death Stranding 2 gameplay was showcased in September, revealing a host of bizarre elements that fans have come to expect from Kojima's work, including a unique photo mode, dancing puppet men, and a character played by George Miller, the director of Mad Max. An introduction to the game's story was also shared in January, though its complex themes leave much to the imagination. Kojima has confirmed which characters will not be returning in this sequel. In IGN's 6/10 review of the original Death Stranding, the game was praised for its fascinating world of supernatural sci-fi but critiqued for gameplay that struggled to support its ambitious narrative.