Hideo Kojima is known for developing the Metal Gear series as creative director, working with the concept and character artist Yoji Shinkawa to create a unique brand of games since 1987. With 35 years of experience, the brains behind Kojima Productions were more than happy to get involved answering the burning questions surrounding their projects.

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Antonela Pounder hosted the Q&A event, discussing the key factors to building a strong working relationship and how the themes of Death Stranding can influence communities. The probing questions offer unique insight into the behind-the-scenes world of Kojima Productions; Hideo Kojima’s creative “auteur license” is both enlightening and humble, allowing the dev team to pitch many ideas for implementation in Death Stranding as well as previous games. “Positive enforcement and helping others becomes a design choice” for the game, with such a progressive element hopefully moving players to do the same in real life.

There is also mention of differences between the original Death Stranding release and the Director’s Cut edition, and Antonela noted through her own playthrough the “wholesome” nature of having a community spirit thanks to the effort of random players uniting to build something together. The goal of rebuilding America is not intended to be a solo venture, putting emphasis on how Death Stranding players need to work together. Kojima stating that he wanted gamers to “step out of their room after playing [Death Stranding] and see the roads and bridges around them.”

Other less philosophical questions are asked that focus on the world building, such as the reasoning why planes don’t exist in the Death Stranding universe. Other topics like Death Stranding and Metal Gear’s similarities are mentioned, querying the influence of the latter’s infamously long cutscene runtime influencing Sam Bridges’ story in Death Stranding. Even talk of a Death Stranding sequel was mentioned, especially from Kojima’s own viewpoint on characters like Heartman with such a strong backstory “deserving its own spin-off series.”

The full interview gives an insight into Hideo Kojima’s goals and community interactions, eager to inspire and motivate players with a game that serves as more than just an entertainment product.

Death Stranding: Director’s Cut is available on PC and PS5.

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