Death Stranding 2 Will Evolve the Meaning of ‘Strand,’ Hideo Kojima Says

Hideo Kojima has offered some insight into why Death Stranding 2 was completely rewritten following his experiences with the pandemic, saying that it will redefine the meaning of “strand.” The post-apocalyptic sequel was revealed during The Game Awards 2022 with a trailer that was just as enigmatic as many have come to expect. At the time, Kojima explained that the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the story:

“I had the story written before the pandemic, but after experiencing the pandemic I just rewrote the whole story from scratch. I also didn’t want to predict any more future, so I rewrote it.”

During a recent interview with Japanese entertainment website Natalie (translated by VGC), Kojima expanded on the process of creating the story for his post-apocalyptic sequel.

“Before the pandemic, I’d actually already conceived the narrative for Death Stranding 2,” Kojima said.

Confused, his interviewer, Japanese pop star Nocchi, replied, “Wait, what? But Death Stranding came out right on the brink of Covid-19. I was under the impression that Death Stranding 2’s plot was developed with the pandemic in mind.”

“Not exactly,” Kojima replied. “However, when the pandemic did strike, it led us to restructure the entire script. In Death Stranding we championed the act of connection. But, as the pandemic took hold, digital connections like remote work gained prominence.”

He continued, explaining that he realized that humans are “inherently explorers” and that our needs can’t be satisfied by digital connections alone.

“Right now, we’re dealing with seclusion and division, and the world is undergoing significant transformations,” Kojima added. “We can’t rewind to our pre-pandemic reality, so we’ve had to reassess the concept of ‘connection’.”

The original Death Stranding introduced gamers to a world where connection is vital. While the idea played an important role in the 2019 title, Kojima says it will be looked at through a different lens in Death Stranding 2.

“In Death Stranding 2, the interpretation of ‘strand’ evolves. You’ll notice, at the end of the teaser trailer, a message that says ‘Should We Have Connected?’ That’s the crux of what we’re trying to articulate in the sequel.”

Death Stranding is one of the strangest universes players have entered in the last decade, and it sounds like Death Stranding 2 will be no different. While we’re waiting for more after last year’s trailer, it’s comforting to know that a movie entry for the franchise is also on the way. We’ll know more about Kojima’s plans for the series in the future, so be sure to stay tuned for any updates.