Hideo Kojima, the creator of Death Stranding, rewrote parts of Death Stranding 2 after internal testers liked the game too much. Kojima wanted the sequel to be polarizing, not just widely liked.
Death Stranding was already known for being strange and different. The first game focused on a post-apocalyptic world where players spent most of their time delivering packages across broken landscapes. Some players loved it, while others thought it was boring. But the game became a hit and earned a loyal fanbase.
Now, with Death Stranding 2, Kojima wants to push things even further. He believes that if everyone likes something right away, it might be too safe or ordinary. Kojima’s goal is to make a game that challenges people.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, musician Yoann Lemoine, also known as Woodkid, shared what happened behind the scenes. Kojima told him, “We have a problem. We’ve been testing the game with players, and the results are too good. They like it too much. That means something is wrong; we have to change something.”
Kojima explained that if a game is too easy to like, it’s “mainstream” and predictable. He prefers when players first dislike parts of a game and then grow to love them later. Kojima believes this creates a stronger emotional connection and makes the game more memorable.
Even though Kojima changed parts of the story and key moments in Death Stranding 2, he still listens to feedback. But he doesn’t make changes just to please people. He wants his games to start conversations and challenge players’ expectations.
Despite these changes, actor Norman Reedus, who plays the main character Sam Porter Bridges, has said that the story in Death Stranding 2 will be easier to follow than the first one.
Kojima remains one of the few game developers who treats his games like art, not just entertainment. Death Stranding 2 is expected to release in 2025.
