Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind the Metal Gear series, has recently shared insights into his ongoing battle with the grueling demands of game development, particularly as he navigates the "crunch time" for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Through a series of posts on X/Twitter, Kojima expressed his exhaustion and shed light on the intense period known as "crunch," where developers often work extended hours and sacrifice days off to meet deadlines.
Despite the gaming industry's recent efforts to move away from crunch following various controversies, Kojima's candid admission about his current situation stands out. He described crunch as "the most demanding period of game development — both physically and mentally," involving a multitude of tasks beyond just game development, such as mixing, Japanese voice recording, writing comments, explanations, essays, interviews, discussions, and other non-game-related work. This revelation comes as Death Stranding 2 approaches its 2025 release date, suggesting it's the project currently in the crunch phase, unlike the studio's other projects, OD and Physint, which are still in earlier stages of development.
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
Interestingly, Kojima's contemplation of his creative longevity doesn't seem directly tied to the current crunch period. Instead, his recent purchase of a Ridley Scott biography has prompted him to reflect on his own career trajectory. At 61, Kojima wonders how much longer he can remain creative, drawing inspiration from Ridley Scott, who at 87 remains active and created the masterpiece Gladiator past the age of 60. Kojima's determination to continue his work for as long as possible should reassure fans that retirement is not on his immediate horizon.
In September, fans got an extended look at Death Stranding 2's gameplay, which lived up to the game's reputation for eccentricity with features like a bizarre photo mode, dancing puppet men, and a character portrayed by George Miller, the director of Mad Max. An introduction to the game's story was shared 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 first Death Stranding game gave it a 6/10, noting that while it offered a fascinating world of supernatural sci-fi, its gameplay struggled to support its ambitious narrative.
