“Maybe this is a problem”: Death Stranding 2 Director Isn’t a Fan of Early Praise

Last Updated on Jun 13, 2025 @ 16:18:18 PM.

---

The Death Stranding sequel is expected to be a major step up from the original game. From storytelling to gameplay and combat, the developers behind this project are well aware of how fans felt about the first game. While the director was never concerned about how the gaming community perceives his projects at release, the sudden change in direction didn’t sit right with him for this game.

The Death Stranding Sequel Is Getting Praised Quite Early

The original Death Stranding had a mixed reception at launch. Other than being hailed as a glorified walking simulator, not everyone could get into the story due to the slow pace. The gameplay can be chore, especially with all the sorting and resource management to carry important cargo and useful tools to get Sam across point A to B. However, the world entered a global pandemic and public opinion changed for the better, which is what director Hideo Kojima wanted.

In a recent interview with Game Informer, Kojima explained that the initial praise was not something he had hoped for in this project.

Kojima elaborated that he would prefer Death Stranding 2: On the Beach to have equal fans and haters. The director is widely renowned as the auteur of video games, and he doesn’t want to make straightforward projects that are easy to digest or appeal to the general gaming community.

Recently, all the entertainment things are like easy to chew, easy to digest. But with Death Stranding, I thought “It needs people who love it and people who don’t love it because it’s a new thing.

While most game developers try their hardest to satisfy the wants and needs of their player base, Kojima wants to do that and thensome. Video games are an interactive form of art, and Kojima wants to bring something new to the table. Perhaps he strives this project to receive the same treatment the original game had. Death Stranding had a modest player count at launch, but 5 years later, it reached an impressive milestone of 20 million players, or porters, across all available platforms.

Making Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Was a Different Experience for the Director

As a visionary and storyteller, Hideo Kojima felt it was his responsibility to challenge the gaming community and bring something unique. Kojima would prefer to have his games being at the center of a conversation where players would debate about it. The original Death Stranding left an impression, and the director might be trying to capture the same lightning of controversy and success twice.

For more Thumb Wars coverage, check out one new unique feature Kojima Productions added to make travelling in Death Stranding 2 less quiet, and our review of The Alters. Otherwise, follow Thumb Wars on X, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram to keep up with the latest news, reviews, and interviews.

---