Interestingly, Kojima\\'s reflections on his career longevity were sparked not by the current crunch but by his recent purchase of a Ridley Scott biography. At 61, Kojima muses about his future in creativity, inspired by Scott\\'s continued work into his late 80s, including the creation of \\\"Gladiator\\\" in his 60s. This introspection reassures fans that Kojima is far from ready to retire, despite his long and storied career in video games.

An extended gameplay reveal of \\\"Death Stranding 2\\\" in September showcased its signature eccentricity, including a peculiar photo mode, dancing puppet men, and a character portrayed by George Miller, the director of \\\"Mad Max.\\\" The game\\'s narrative introduction in January hinted at its complex themes, though much remains mysterious. Notably, Kojima has confirmed the absence of certain characters from the sequel. IGN\\'s review of the original \\\"Death Stranding\\\" praised its intriguing supernatural sci-fi world but noted that its gameplay struggled to match the narrative\\'s ambition.

Home News Hideo Kojima Reflects on Creativity Amid Death Stranding 2 Development Crunch

Hideo Kojima Reflects on Creativity Amid Death Stranding 2 Development Crunch

Author : Audrey Update : May 18,2025

Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind the Metal Gear series, recently shared insights into his ongoing battle with the demanding nature of game development, particularly during the intense phase known as "crunch time." In a series of posts on X/Twitter, Kojima expressed his fatigue while navigating this critical period for his studio, Kojima Productions. Although he didn't specify the project, it's widely assumed he's referring to "Death Stranding 2: On the Beach," slated for release in 2025, as the game is likely in its final stages of development.

Crunch time, notorious for requiring extended work hours and sacrificing days off, has been a contentious issue in the gaming industry, with many studios pledging to avoid it. Kojima's candid admission stands out, highlighting the physical and mental toll of juggling numerous tasks, from mixing and voice recording to writing and interviews.

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… pic.twitter.com/FrXRgaS748
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) January 10, 2025

Interestingly, Kojima's reflections on his career longevity were sparked not by the current crunch but by his recent purchase of a Ridley Scott biography. At 61, Kojima muses about his future in creativity, inspired by Scott's continued work into his late 80s, including the creation of "Gladiator" in his 60s. This introspection reassures fans that Kojima is far from ready to retire, despite his long and storied career in video games.

An extended gameplay reveal of "Death Stranding 2" in September showcased its signature eccentricity, including a peculiar photo mode, dancing puppet men, and a character portrayed by George Miller, the director of "Mad Max." The game's narrative introduction in January hinted at its complex themes, though much remains mysterious. Notably, Kojima has confirmed the absence of certain characters from the sequel. IGN's review of the original "Death Stranding" praised its intriguing supernatural sci-fi world but noted that its gameplay struggled to match the narrative's ambition.