Metal Gear Creator Hideo Kojima Questions How Long He Can Stay Creative as Death Stranding 2 Dev Endures Crunch

Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind the Metal Gear series, has recently shared insights into his ongoing struggles with creativity and the intense "crunch time" phase of developing Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Through a series of posts on X/Twitter, Kojima expressed his exhaustion and detailed the challenges of this critical development period.

Crunch time, known for its demanding nature both physically and mentally, involves extended work hours and tasks beyond the core game development, such as mixing, Japanese voice recording, writing comments, explanations, essays, interviews, discussions, and other non-game-related work. While Kojima did not specifically mention Death Stranding 2, the game, set for release in 2025, is likely the project in question, given its advanced development stage compared to other Kojima Productions projects like OD and Physint.

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… https://t.co/FrXRgaS748

— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) January 10, 2025

Despite the intensity of the current crunch period, it's not this specific phase that has prompted Kojima to contemplate his retirement. Instead, his recent purchase of a Ridley Scott biography led him to reflect on his own career trajectory. At 61 years old, Kojima expressed uncertainty about how long he can remain creatively active, drawing inspiration from Ridley Scott, who, at 87, continues to work and created Gladiator past the age of 60.

Kojima's fans can rest assured that he remains committed to his craft and has no immediate plans to retire, even after nearly four decades in the industry. In September, an extended gameplay look at Death Stranding 2 showcased its unique elements, including a peculiar photo mode, dancing puppet men, and a character portrayed by George Miller, reflecting Kojima's signature blend of the bizarre and innovative.

The narrative of Death Stranding 2 was introduced in January, though its complex themes leave much to the imagination. Kojima has confirmed which characters will not be returning, adding to the anticipation. IGN's review of the original Death Stranding gave it a 6/10, praising its intriguing supernatural sci-fi world but critiquing the gameplay for not fully supporting the game's ambitious vision.