Hideo Kojima Says Death Stranding Was Judged Without Being Played

 

Hideo Kojima has criticized the way audiences judge video games and movies before experiencing them, recalling how Death Stranding was dismissed as a walking simulator by people who had never played it.

According to GamesRadar+, the Metal Gear creator discussed the issue during a conversation with filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu about his new movie, Digger, starring Tom Cruise.

Kojima compared the early reactions to Digger with the criticism surrounding Death Stranding when it launched in 2019. He recalled how some viewers described the game as a walking simulator after watching gameplay footage, without experiencing its mechanics or story themselves.

The developer argued that social media and recommendation algorithms encourage people to form opinions based on limited information. As a result, games and films can develop negative reputations before audiences have an opportunity to evaluate them firsthand.

Kojima also drew a connection between Digger and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, particularly their exploration of information, technology, and how people interpret reality.

The director believes the growing influence of artificial intelligence and the constant flow of online information have made it increasingly difficult for audiences to engage with creative works without preconceived opinions.

Death Stranding initially received mixed reactions from some players because of its unconventional gameplay, which emphasizes traversal, deliveries, and environmental challenges rather than traditional action.

Kojima's latest comments highlight his concerns about how quickly online discussions can shape public perceptions of video games and films, sometimes before people have experienced the work themselves.