Kojima Questions Creative Longevity Amid 'Death Stranding 2' Crunch

Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind the Metal Gear series, recently revealed that Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is currently in the demanding "crunch time" phase of development, prompting him to reflect on his creative longevity.

In a series of X/Twitter posts, Kojima expressed his fatigue and described the intense pressure of crunch, a period of extended work hours often criticized within the game industry. While unusual for a studio head to publicly acknowledge crunch, Kojima detailed the multifaceted workload, encompassing not only game development but also a significant amount of writing, interviews, and other non-game related tasks. He stated, "The most demanding period of game development—both physically and mentally—commonly known as ‘crunch time.’ On top of mixing and Japanese voice recording, there’s an inevitable pile of other tasks: writing comments, explanations, essays, interviews, discussions, and non-game-related work. It’s incredibly tough."

Although Kojima didn't explicitly name Death Stranding 2, its 2025 release date strongly suggests it's the project undergoing crunch. His other projects, OD and Physint, are likely in earlier stages of development.

Kojima's contemplation of retirement, however, seems less directly linked to the current crunch and more to a broader reflection on his career, spurred by reading a Ridley Scott biography. At 61, he questions how much longer he can maintain his creative drive, citing Ridley Scott's continued success at 87 as inspiration.

Despite this introspection, Kojima assures fans he intends to continue creating, even after nearly four decades in the industry.

Death Stranding 2's gameplay, showcased in September, maintained the series' characteristically bizarre style, featuring a unique photo mode, unusual characters, and the directorial involvement of George Miller. While a story introduction was released in January, many plot details remain shrouded in mystery. Kojima has, however, confirmed the absence of certain characters from the original game. The first Death Stranding received a 6/10 review from IGN, praising its unique world but criticizing its gameplay.