Death Stranding 2: Will We Ever Get A Sequel?
Death Stranding is one of this generation's most divisive titles. Audiences can't agree if they love the game or hate it, and the story is a sometimes confusing mass of philosophical magnanimity, symbolism, Norman Reedus, and poop grenades. Yet, you cannot deny that Hideo Kojima poured his blood, sweat, and soul into the title. He claimed he was creating a new game genre, and Death Stranding bleeds that very eccentricity. So naturally, many gamers want to know when they're getting a sequel.
Some players believe Kojima already has started developing a new game, and when someone with Kojima's history works on a project, the subject inevitably turns to the game's setting. Before Death Stranding, Kojima spent most of his dev life sculpting the Metal Gear experience, and he almost rebooted Silent Hill. So, is he continuing his time-worn tradition of breathing life into a title and then expanding on it with sequels? Will Kojima ever revisit the post-apocalyptic America of Death Stranding? The answer is a resounding "maybe."
Don't believe everything you see on the internet
One of the most important aspects of video game development — or any piece of entertainment, for that matter — is conceptualizing. You need to nail a game's look because it is a visual medium. Therefore, you must develop concept art. Hideo Kojima accidentally (or intentionally) teased an early idea that hinted at an upcoming Death Stranding game. Or did it?
In late June, Kojima tweeted a small statement on his creative process. He explained that he first develops and discusses the world, characters, and lore. The next day, he tweeted what looked like concept art for a submarine — or a spaceship. Eagle-eyed followers noticed two important details: The art is labeled "landing ship," and the top of the ship sports the word "Bridges." For those who need a refresher, Bridges is the shipping company in Death Stranding that is tasked with ferrying parcels and reconnecting America. Think Amazon but with motorcycles and guns.
Since the landing ship flies the Bridges name, this concept art could imply Kojima is working on a sequel. Not quite. IGN reached out to Kojima for clarification, and he said it isn't "major plans, but just fragments of new ideas." In other words, Kojima was just spitballing. The concept art doesn't necessarily mean anything.
It would be a spin-off, not a sequel
Kojima essentially made a career out of compounding on the Metal Gear franchise, but he's a little cagey on whether he would do the same with Death Stranding. While he hasn't committed to a second entry, Kojima has made up his mind on how it would follow up from the first game.
Death Stranding delivers a self-contained story with a beginning, middle, and end. Kojima has no desire to create a second game that revolves around the continued misadventures of Sam Bridges. As Kojima put it, any second Death Stranding game "would start from zero." In other words, it would be more of a spin-off than a sequel.
While the industry can only speculate how the hypothetical Death Stranding spin-off would differ from the first game, it is likely Kojima won't return to the game world any time soon. Apparently, he is currently working on a horror game, but Kojima is also a known fan of selective disinformation. The man tricked gamers into thinking Solid Snake would star in Metal Gear Solid 2, only to reveal newcomer Raiden would serve as the game's protagonist. Who's to say that the upcoming horror title isn't the hypothetical Death Stranding spin-off? Only time will tell.