Matthew Barriga
Equinox Staff
The newest project by Kojima Productions is shaping up to be one of Sony’s most anticipated exclusives so far this console generation.
According to Kojima Productions’ official website, the studio was established in Dec. of 2015. “Death Stranding” is a game currently in development by the young studio founded by famous developer Hideo Kojima. Kojima is mostly known for his work with the “Metal Gear Solid” series, as well as several other games that have received large amounts of critical acclaim.
However, what makes “Death Stranding” so distinct from previous Kojima titles is the approach being taken to marketing the game. Kojima has taken a different approach as opposed to typical marketing for a AAA title.
According to IGN, the game was announced in 2016. It’s been three years since the announcement of the project, and where most studios would have given the public exciting gameplay, in-depth looks at the games mechanics, or even a general overview of the game’s plot—Kojima has shown little to nothing.
Aside from a few teaser trailers and minimal gameplay demonstrations, the studio has been very cautious about revealing too much information on their upcoming title.
One obvious reason for the huge amount of hype for this game is the number of big names attached to the project. Kojima himself is widely renowned in the gaming world, and is generally known to push the boundaries of the industry in ways no one expects.
However, after his departure from Konami, it’s clear that Kojima is using this freedom to his full advantage. Norman Reedus, from “The Walking Dead,” has taken on the role of motion capture and voice acting for the games’ protagonist Sam Bridges (or Sam Porter, little is known about the characters identity).
Famous actor Mads Mikkelsen has also been attached to the project in a seemingly villainous role.
Even Guillermo del Toro, widely known for creating blockbuster films such as “Pacific Rim” and “The Hobbit” series, is working with the studio.
Kojima even managed to hire top-class voice actor Troy Baker, who has made a name for himself by delivering exceptional performances in other PS4 exclusives such as “The Last of Us” and the “Uncharted” series. With so many talented writers and performers, it’s hard to imagine that “Death Stranding” can be anything but revolutionary.
Even without a known release date, the game is reaching huge levels of excitement.
The unofficial subreddit for the game has reached nearly 40,000 subscribers since its creation, with a rapidly growing community. And this is where Kojima Productions has excelled in their marketing technique—the community.
The game is promising to be revolutionary—something the industry hasn’t done before.
The game has hinted towards many vague and convoluted concepts such as time-accelerating rain and invisible enemies. With so many vague ideas being thrown into the mix, it’s only a matter of time before theories begin circulating around the internet.
The community around this game has been frantically pulling apart every trailer and announcement in search of answers. Discussions between content creators about their predictions have fueled the fire of hype leading up to this release.
And that’s where the genius in this project lies. By giving out very minimal information, Kojima Productions has allowed their dedicated community to spread the word for them.
Theories about time travel and death being not a sign of failure, but a core mechanic of the game, have been floating around everywhere.
Yet, all that’s really been shown gameplay-wise is protagonist Sam (played by Norman Reedus) walking around an empty (and seemingly boring) environment.
Kojima’s minimal supply of information has lead consumers to go on a frenzy of theories and discussions, which has provided nothing but free press for the upcoming project.
However, with so many questions still in the air, one thing is certain—the public cannot wait to get their hands on the game.
This is the unorthodox yet genius marketing strategy that could only come from the mind of Hideo Kojima himself.
Matthew Barriga can be contacted at
mbarriga@kscequinox.com
