Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind the Metal Gear series, recently shared his reflections on creativity and the demanding nature of game development, revealing that Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is currently in "crunch time."
Kojima's candid X/Twitter posts expressed his fatigue and described the intense pressure of "crunch," a period of extended work hours often exceeding normal schedules. While many studios have pledged to avoid crunch following recent industry controversies, Kojima's public acknowledgment of its impact on his team is noteworthy. He highlighted the multifaceted demands, encompassing not only game development but also a significant amount of post-production tasks like writing, interviews, and other non-game related activities.
Although Kojima didn't explicitly name Death Stranding 2 as the project experiencing crunch, it's the most probable candidate given its 2025 release date and the typical timing of crunch towards the end of development. His studio's other projects, OD and Physint, appear to be in earlier stages.
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… https://t.co/FrXRgaS748
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) January 10, 2025
Kojima's contemplation of his future creative capacity seems less directly linked to the current crunch and more inspired by reading a Ridley Scott biography. At 61, he questions how long he can maintain his creative drive, expressing a desire to continue but acknowledging the finite nature of time. He cites Ridley Scott's continued success at 87 as an example.
Despite these reflections, fans can rest assured that Kojima remains committed to his craft, showing no immediate signs of retirement despite a nearly four-decade career in video game development.
Death Stranding 2's gameplay, showcased in September, features the same unique and often bizarre elements fans have come to expect from Kojima's work. A January update offered a glimpse into the narrative, though much remains shrouded in mystery. Kojima has, however, confirmed which characters won't be returning. The first Death Stranding game received a 6/10 rating from IGN, praising its unique world but criticizing its gameplay.
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