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Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is shaping up to be even more experimental than the first, with longtime Kojima collaborator and composer Yoann “Woodkid” Lemoine confirming that Hideo Kojima intentionally made changes to make the sequel more polarizing.
In a recent interview featured via Rolling Stones, Woodkid explained that Kojima wanted to “double down” on the elements that made the original game stand out, even if that meant pushing the audience further into divided opinion territory.
Woodkid quoted Kojima, who approached him and said:
“I’m going to be very honest, we have been testing the game with players and the results are too good. They like it too much. That means something is wrong; we have to change something.”
This prompted Kojima to make changes to the Death Stranding 2 script and change the story, including how certain crucial events play out. Kojima told Woodkid that he doesn’t aim to create conventional games meant for instant enjoyment. Instead, he wants to make experiences that gradually resonate with players. Woodkid took this as a valuable creative lesson, not to craft art just to please people, but to challenge and move them emotionally over time.
The original Death Stranding was already a unique title, combining parcel-delivery gameplay, asynchronous multiplayer, and abstract storytelling. With the sequel, Kojima reportedly made substantial changes to the original draft during development, further leaning into the unusual tone and themes that made the game so distinct.
Woodkid shared that he collaborated closely with Hideo Kojima over three years to develop the soundtrack for Death Stranding 2, which dynamically reacts to player choices. Although the game releases next week, fans can already experience his music through the official soundtrack. Based on Woodkid’s remarks, Kojima’s latest creation continues his trend of crafting unconventional and thought-provoking games, embracing subversion as part of his creative identity.
To celebrate the upcoming release of the game, fans can also win an opportunity to meet Creator Hideo Kojima and Art Director Yoji Shinkawa in Taipei through a special contest by PlayStation. Hurry because the registration window will close on June 20 at 21:59 (GMT+8) Malaysian time.
To stay up to date about the news for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, you can visit their official website.
