Hideo Kojima says the pandemic prompted a major shift in the concept of Death Stranding 2

Death Stranding 2 is all set to release for PS5 exclusively under the leadership of Hideo Kojima. The popular Japanese video game designer previously worked on the fan-favorite Metal Gear series. During a candid conversation with VGC, Kojima revealed a few insights about the upcoming sequel to Death Stranding, shedding some light on the game's concept.

While the original title carried the theme of "Let's Connect," Death Stranding 2 has been designed with an entirely different approach. The COVID-19 Pandemic proved to be an eye-opening phase in Kojima's life. As work-from-home culture and online streaming became the new norm, this compelled Hideo Kojima to weave the story around this concept.

---

Hideo Kojima reveals insights about the concept of Death Stranding 2

The game was rewritten after the pandemic (Image via PlayStation)

Just three months after the release of Death Stranding, the world witnessed the COVID-19 pandemic. While the game was made with the theme of "Let's Connect" in mind, it was during this time that Kojima wondered if the sequel should be about a contrasting concept:

“What happened was, there are now people in our studio who work from home, and I still don’t know their faces. Even music concerts were cancelled, and it all became online streaming. I understand this was unavoidable at the time of the pandemic. The same thing applies to schools; instead of getting to play with your friends or learning from teachers, you just look at a screen online which isn’t any different from watching YouTube videos," Kojima explained.

Hideo also further talked about a certain character in the game who will express what he himself felt during the pandemic:

"There’s a lot of foreshadowing in the game, so I’m sure many of you will understand when you play the game, and you’ll know by the end...It goes back to the stick and rope theory. There’s a lot of foreshadowing in the game, so I’m sure many of you will understand when you play the game, and you’ll know by the end. The things that I felt during the pandemic — there’s a character in the game who expresses those feelings."

Death Stranding 2 will be releasing globally on June 26, 2025, for PlayStation 5 exclusively. The game is already out for pre-orders.

---

For more gaming news and guides, stay tuned to Sportskeeda.