By late 2019, the PlayStation 4 was nearing the end of its life cycle. While Sony was preparing to release the PlayStation 5 in 2020, developers still wanted to create games for the PS4 – it was, after all, one of the best-selling consoles ever. They didn’t want to abandon such a popular system without a strong final release, especially considering how many people owned it. Luckily, Kojima Productions had a game ready to go. When Death Stranding launched on November 8th, 2019, it proved the PS4 still had something exciting to offer during its last holiday season.
Death Stranding Showed Hideo Kojima and Sony Still Had It
Okay, so leading up to Death Stranding coming out, I’ll admit I was a bit worried. Hideo Kojima is a legend, obviously, with all his amazing games, but after working at Konami for so long, seeing him start his own studio and make something not Metal Gear for the first time in almost ten years (besides that P.T. demo, which was awesome but just a demo!) was definitely a little nerve-wracking as a fan. We just didn’t know what to expect!
Fortunately, Kojima and his team delivered on their promises. While no one really should have questioned him, some fans were worried when he started talking about creating a new game genre called “strand games” and introducing characters with names like “Die-Hardman” and “Deadman.” It seemed like he might have gone a little too far with Death Stranding.
Instead, players received one of the PlayStation 4’s most memorable games. While Death Stranding‘s story is complex and challenging – even more so than many Metal Gear Solid titles – the game features a stunning and expansive open world. Combined with a unique online system where you can indirectly assist other players, the gameplay is surprisingly addictive despite being relatively simple.
Similar to many of Hideo Kojima’s greatest games, Death Stranding feels overly ambitious, suggesting the creator may be too attached to his own ideas. To be clear, Kojima is a truly innovative developer who has been instrumental in making video games more cinematic, but he could sometimes benefit from a more critical review of his work.
Regardless of how you look at it, Death Stranding is a defining game for the PlayStation 4. While it’s now available on other systems, it remains fundamentally a PS4 title. Sony published the game and has ensured the sequel will only be on PlayStation 5. Though Kojima Productions isn’t directly owned by Sony, Death Stranding has become strongly associated with the PlayStation brand.
The Future of Death Stranding
I was so excited when Kojima and Sony announced a second game! We got Death Stranding 2: On the Beach earlier this year, and honestly, it’s even better than the first one. It really feels like Kojima Productions finally nailed their vision for a huge, open-world, post-apocalyptic adventure. And the graphics? Seriously, it looks incredible – even more stunning than the original!
The collaboration between Kojima and Sony is still going strong. In 2024, they announced a new game called Physint. Details are scarce, but Kojima Productions has described it as an “espionage project,” which naturally got Metal Gear Solid fans very excited. However, it’s likely to be a while before we see it – the game hasn’t even announced which consoles it will be released on.
Kojima Productions is currently developing two movies based on Death Stranding. The first is being made with Hammerstone Studios and A24, the company behind films such as Everything Everywhere All at Once, Civil War, and Uncut Gems. The second, currently called Death Stranding: Mosquito, is a collaboration with ABC Animation Studio. Since neither film has a scheduled release date, it will likely be a while before they are available.
Kojima Productions is starting work on a new game, but this time they’re not partnering with Sony. The project, currently known as OD, is a horror game being created with Xbox Game Studios, and is being co-written by Hideo Kojima and Jordan Peele. Similar to their previous project, Physint, Kojima Productions hasn’t announced which consoles the game will be released on. However, given Microsoft’s current strategy, it probably won’t be exclusive to Xbox when it’s finished.
Death Stranding was a fantastic send-off for the PlayStation 4, and it launched Kojima Productions with a remarkably strong first game – something most developers only hope for. With so many projects now underway, it’s easy to overlook where it all began, but the original Death Stranding stands out as a prime example of what can happen when a talented developer is given the resources and freedom to fully realize their creative vision.
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2025-11-08 22:12