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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

The meaning of "strand" has changed for Death Stranding 2, and the COVID-19 pandemic is partly responsible, says Kojima.

In an interview with J-Pop idol Nocchi (from the group Perfume) for the Japanese outlet Music Natalie, Kojima gave a small insight into Death Stranding 2's development. On the topic of the sequel's themes, the head of Kojima Productions says (machine translated): "In Death Stranding, connection was justice," however following the COVID-19 pandemic, "remote and other pseudo-connections became more important."

"On the other hand," the developer continues, "I felt that this pseudo-connection alone was not enough to achieve human-like fulfilment in life. I felt that human beings need to get out into the outside world and move."

Further down in the interview, Kojima elaborated: "Isolation and fragmentation are ongoing, and the world is changing dramatically. With the inability to return to the world as it was, the meaning of 'strand' is changing in [Death Stranding 2] as we rethink about 'connectedness'."

Kojima then explains the message present at the end of the sequel's first and only teaser, adding: "At the end of the teaser, the message 'Should We Have Connected?' [appears] and that's the message we want to convey in 2."

Elsewhere in the interview, Kojima also talks about Death Stranding 2's music, explaining that, in the first game, the team "wanted to incorporate things that have never been done in games or films before" and that they're "thinking of doing more new things in the sequel." The developer also touched upon the plans for the upcoming Death Stranding movie that was announced as in production back in December 2022.

"If it's going to be made into a film, I want it to be something that only film can do," Kojima tells Nocchi in the interview, "so I'm going to make it completely different." We already know that Kojima won't be directing the Death Stranding movie, but he will be playing a supervising role. We also know that the movie is set to introduce new characters and that it might even ditch the game's lead protagonist Sam Porter Bridges.

Hideo Kojima teases Death Stranding 2 will change the meaning of "strand"

The COVID-19 pandemic caused Kojima to rethink the meaning of "strand"

www.gamesradar.com

 

[SlimySnake]

I hope the strand means better combat mechanics and scenarios. I want a return to MGSV level of freedom. I am not sure what DS combat was trying to be, but fun it was not.

 

[GrayChild]

"On the other hand," the developer continues, "I felt that this pseudo-connection alone was not enough to achieve human-like fulfilment in life. I felt that human beings need to get out into the outside world and move."

Kojima literally telling everyone to go outside their mon's basement and touch some grass.

 

[Punished Miku]

The strand genre will never be the same.

 

[nightmare-slain]

he talks a lot of waffle

 

[Luipadre]

Cant wait for this game. Next trailer is probably at game awards Hopefully this is a 2024 title

 

[Elder Legend]

I am super stoked for Death Stranding 2. I loved the first, I thought I was gonna hate it but it became one of my favorite games. Hope it releases 2024.

 

[Punished Miku]

Cant wait for this game. Next trailer is probably at game awards Hopefully this is a 2024 title

I would assume so on both counts.

 

[DeepEnigma]

he talks a lot of waffle

He's earned it.

 

[solidus12]

No more deliveries PLEASE !!!

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

"I felt that human beings need to get out into the outside world and move."

Kojima confirmed based.

 

[Buggy Loop]

 

[Fuz]

Someone call Dunkey.

 

[RagnarokIV]

Hahaha.

 

[Bartski]

for keeping all those hot chicks tethered I reckon

 

[Hudo]

Oh for fuck's sake, shut the fuck up, Kojima.

 

[UnsanctionedBuffoonery]

But will it makes us feel ashamed of our words and deeds?

 

[Bridges]

So fucking ready for this

Will probably buy a PS5 for this

 

[GrayChild]

Oh for fuck's sake, shut the fuck up, Kojima.

 

[VideoGameEnjoyer]

He's the only one who ever knew what it meant in the first place. So, go nuts.

 

[ssringo]

Hopefully it means less of the movie length info dumps.

 

[bender]

I didn't love the original but I respect the hell out of it. I'll still be there day one for the sequel. It has to have one of the more novel online components since Demon Souls/Dark Souls.

 

[BouncyFrag]

Finally.

 

[CanYouFlyBobby?]

mandatory

 

[Putonahappyface]

for keeping all those hot chicks tethered I reckon

No hover hand?

 

[DeepEnigma]

mandatory

I give this dialogue an 8.8.

 

[SolarFry]

It'll probably be doubly stupid and I'll probably play it.

Played the first one to completion, out of curiosity, mostly. It was a fascinating cringefest. Still wondering if the story and dialogue sound better in japanese and everything is lost in translation?

 

[A.Romero]

Kojima's mind always has concepts that he thinks translate to his games very clearly and gamers understand but truth is that nobody really sees it as he does (and nobody cares) but somehow games are still good.

Have at it Mr. Kojima, we don't care as long as games continue to be good and fresh.

 

[justonething]

Hopefully it changes so much it turns into Metal Gear Solid 5.5/6.

 

[mortal]

Will BB have new mechanics?

 

[Kilau]

I can’t wait for this one to be the overall GOTY too.

 

[John Bilbo]

But will it deliver?

 

[JaksGhost]

I can't wait to see what he does with the Decima engine this go round.

 

[Draugoth]

If you played DD1 you will know it's basically UPS Man Simulator.

 

[ByWatterson]

All of his hyperbolic bullshit regarding DS1 turned out to be 100% true as he mic-dropped the Game of the Gen.

So I am fully on board for more crazy messianic ravings. LFG.

 

[The Cockatrice]

So walking sim turns to flying sim? Even if we assume its going to be unique, I expect it to be tedious to play. I'd rather have simple and fun.

 

[KyoZz]

 

[Paasei]

Death Beaching

 

[Outlier]

I do not care what Hideo has to say about anything he's making, anymore.
He's just so far up his own ass.
Good graphics and endless cutscenes don't make entertaining games!

 

[Del_X]

Maybe it won't put me to sleep this time.

 

[March Climber]

Hopefully it changes so much it turns into Metal Gear Solid 5.5/6.

 

[Shubh_C63]

Someone call Dunkey.

I am a huge Dunkey fan and this is one of things he completely marred the meaning by making a joke of it.

To me a Strand type game meant multiple people helping others (by making bridges, putting ropes, having ladders, delivering lost packages) to complete a journey of another player so as to make human connections. Either game should have been so hard that you have to have relied on other people collaboration, or it needed an outside of game larger than life element like philosophy for people to setup forums to figure out some mystery over how to get over that mountain or the cave to reconnect America.

 

[killatopak]

Another type of delivery service will be born. Please Kojima, I don’t want another covid.

 

[Bry0]

I can’t wait to meet “Strandman”. What could his character possibly be about? So much metaphorical depth.

 

[Team Andromeda]

You can use a bike in the sequel?

 

[Ikutachi]

White monster this time?

 

[RaduN]

All of his hyperbolic bullshit regarding DS1 turned out to be 100% true as he mic-dropped the Game of the Gen.

So I am fully on board for more crazy messianic ravings. LFG.

100% agreed.

In DS2, he'll most likely throw in an extra bone or two for them casuals screaming "but where is teh kombattt" but knowing Kojima's track record with sequells, we are probably in for the greatest mind-fuckery the gaming world has ever seen.

 

[YeulEmeralda]

Hopefully it means less of the movie length info dumps.

My controller literally disconnected when I played Death Stranding that's how long that final cutscene was.

 

[SJRB]

We all know it will be another visually great looking mega cringe fetishization of Hollywood actors with dreadful quasi-philosophical dialogue and barely passable moment-to-moment gameplay.

"Yes, Troy-san. The licking is a vital part of the story. Please lick her again.. Take 43, aaaaand action"

 

[MALpractice311]

This man's arrogance is astounding. Are there any other games in "strand" genre, besides Death Stranding?