‘Death Stranding 2’ creator had to “rewrite everything” due to COVID-19

Hideo Kojima recently revealed in an interview with singer Ayano Ōmoto that he had to undergo a complete rewrite of the story for Death Stranding 2 due to the impact of the pandemic on popular culture. The founder and director of Kojima Productions expressed that the original themes of the game focused on “how to connect” with others, but he had to adapt and emphasize the concept of “pseudo-connections” due to the changes brought about by the lockdowns.

Kojima explained that the lockdowns led to a significant overhaul of cultural, economic, and social systems, resulting in the emphasis on virtual connections and remote interactions. However, he also emphasized the importance of real-world experiences and human interaction, stating that “humans need to go out into the outside world and move.”

While there is little information about Death Stranding 2 at this time, Kojima did share one detail in the interview. He mentioned that the meaning of “strand” has changed in the sequel, as hinted at in the teaser with the message “Should We Have Connected?” This suggests that the resurgence of the Chiral Network in the game may have brought forth something unexpected from the Beach.

Kojima justified the need for the extensive rewrites by stating that “fiction changes when something that big happens.” He recognized that the pandemic had such a significant impact that works of fiction written prior to it would become less effective as entertainment. Therefore, he felt the necessity to adapt the story to reflect the new reality.

In other gaming news, the development studio behind The Callisto Protocol recently made strategic changes and let go of 32 employees to realign their priorities.