Summary
Early test audiences seem to likeDeath Stranding 2: On the Beach, but creator Hideo Kojima wishes it was more divisive. The firstDeath Strandinggenerated a fair amount of controversy when it first launched in 2019, with some players deriding it as a “walking simulator” and others praising its imaginative setting and post-apocalyptic atmosphere. NowDeath Stranding 2is set to continue the story of Sam Porter Bridges and his efforts to reconnect the world on June 26.
Kojima Productions is looking to celebrate the impending arrival ofDeath Stranding 2: On the Beachin a big way, with a massive 12-city promotional tour in early June.Death Stranding 2also recently went gold, meaning that the game is complete and ready to ship out. Fans who weren’t put off by the controversy of the original game are excited to dive back into the sprawling world ofDeath Stranding 2, which Kojima Productions says will be more action-oriented than its slower, more methodical predecessor.
This approach seems to be paying off, as Hideo Kojima recently claimed thatDeath Stranding 2: On the Beachis scoring higher in pre-launch audience tests than the first game in an interview with Edge Magazine (viaVGC). However, while Sony is pleased with this,Kojima wishes that his latest gaming projectwas a little more divisive. He says that he always listens to players’ criticism and sometimes makes adjustments to certain gameplay elements, but never compromises his overall vision and isn’t interested in “making something that appeals to everyone.”
Hideo Kojima Wishes Death Stranding 2 Was More Controversial
Kojima compared these recentDeath Stranding 2audience tests to the ones for the original game, which he monitored firsthand. He said that at least four out of the ten peopletestingDeath Strandingenjoyed the title, while six marked it as “a terrible game.” While this might be alarming for many developers, Kojima considers it to be a good balance and says that he doesn’t aim to appeal to the mass market or sell millions of copies whenever he starts a new project.
That being said, Kojima acknowledges that his games should be successful for the sake of his staff and studio, even as he wishes to create unique gaming experiences likeMetal Gear SolidorDeath Stranding. Despite its controversies, theoriginalDeath Strandingwas a big success, and history could be on the way to repeating itself if the early audience tests forDeath Stranding 2: On the Beachare any indication.
