Kojima on Creative Longevity Amidst 'Death Stranding 2' Crunch

Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind the Metal Gear series, recently expressed concerns about his creative longevity while revealing that Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is currently in the demanding "crunch time" phase of development.

Kojima's reflections, shared via a series of X/Twitter posts, began with an admission of fatigue. He described the crunch period as "the most demanding period of game development—both physically and mentally," highlighting the numerous tasks beyond game development itself, including writing, interviews, and other non-game-related work.

While Kojima didn't explicitly name Death Stranding 2, it's the most likely project undergoing crunch, given its anticipated 2025 release and the typical timing of crunch towards the end of development. His other projects, OD and Physint, are seemingly 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 retirement, however, seems less directly tied to this current crunch and more to a broader reflection on his career, spurred by reading a Ridley Scott biography. The 61-year-old acknowledged questioning how much longer he can maintain his creative drive, stating, "At this age, I can't help but think about how much longer I'll be able to stay 'creative.'" He cited Ridley Scott's continued success at 87 as inspiration.

Despite these reflections, Kojima remains committed to his craft, assuring fans that retirement isn't imminent. He's been in the video game industry for nearly four decades.

Death Stranding 2's gameplay, showcased in September, features the bizarre and imaginative elements fans expect from Kojima, including a unique photo mode, dancing figures, and a character portrayed by George Miller. A January introduction offered a glimpse into the story, although much remains mysterious. Kojima has, however, confirmed which characters won't be returning. IGN's review of the first Death Stranding gave it a 6/10, praising its world but criticizing its gameplay.