Hideo Kojima changed Death Stranding 2 after playtests because players liked it too much, saying “if everyone likes it, it’s mainstream”

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According to the composer Yoann ‘Woodkit’ Lemoine, renowned creator Hideo Kojima is intentionally altering certain aspects of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach to make it more divisive or controversial.

Death Stranding 2 needs to be polarising

Kojima, famed for his unusually strange video games, frequently pushes the boundaries with his creations, resulting in both awe-inspiring yet debatable masterpieces. For instance, Metal Gear Solid IV: Guns of the Patriots boasted impressive core mechanics, but its narrative decisions sparked controversy among players, and the initial Death Stranding game is as divisive as it gets.

In a conversation with Rolling Stone, as stated by Woodkit, Kojima has been proactively tweaking parts of the game following playtests, intentionally making it less appealing for all players. The composer explains that the designer’s goal was to make the game less “popular” or mainstream in its appeal to players.

At a pivotal point during our gameplay, there was a conversation that took place, roughly in the middle, when the individual approached me and expressed his concerns, stating, “We encounter an issue.” The composer then elaborated on this.

Afterward, he expressed, “To be completely open, the feedback from players testing our game has been exceptional. They’re enjoying it far too much. This could mean there’s an issue; we need to make adjustments.” Consequently, he modified elements in the script and key game mechanics as he felt his creations were not controversial enough and failing to elicit strong emotions.

As stated by the composer, Kojima expressed that if something is widely liked, it signifies it’s mainstream, traditional, and has been simplified for people to appreciate it. However, he doesn’t aspire for this outcome.

According to reports, Kojima aims to change people’s initial dislikes into eventual loves through his work, as it’s in this transformation that true affection is found. Only time will reveal the degree of controversy surrounding Death Stranding 2.

Following the debut of On the Beach, Kojima will carry on developing his forthcoming horror title, OD, in collaboration with Jordan Peele. Moreover, this renowned game developer is also dedicating efforts towards Physint, a project that came to fruition due to fans’ ardent desire for Kojima’s return to the Metal Gear Solid series.

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2025-06-16 15:40