Kojima Productions is quite busy between its Xbox cloud game andDeath Stranding 2. The upcoming title is still shrouded in mystery, as all fans have to go off is a cryptic trailer, a few strange posters, and a brief interview from Kojima where he explains that he rewrote the entire story after the COVID-19 pandemic. Although Kojima is fond of leaving his fans guessing, it may be a good idea to tone down the chaotic marketing forDeath Stranding 2.
It is fun to try and figure out Kojima’s hints and clues, but it sometimes comes at the cost of not having a good idea what gameplay will entail - as was the case withDeath Stranding. IfDeath Stranding 2is aiming to subvertDeath Stranding’s gameplay, it might be a good idea to reveal that in marketing, otherwise fans may be left believing it will only feature the same old routine of making deliveries.
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Death Stranding’s Marketing
Death StrandingwasKojima’s first project after departing from Konami, so fans were very interested to see what Kojima would create without being held back by corporate shackles. The reveal trailer forDeath Strandingwas cryptic, which was nothing new for the creator. It features Sam Bridges, played by Norman Reedus, nude on a beach with black sand and shackles around his wrist, but nearly nothing suggested what players could expect from the upcoming game.
The rest of the marketing was similarly ambiguous, including complicated trailers that posed more questions than answers. Kojima did not make things any clearer, as during his press tour he was seen with various celebrities, including Conan O’Brien, giving not very illuminating commentary. He continually spoke about anew “strand” genre centered around connecting people, which would be a new concept for a gaming landscape. In the end, people had to wait until they finally had the game in hand before they could accurately judgeDeath Stranding’s eccentric gameplay.
Death Strandingnon-straightforward marketing potentially took things too far. With the title’s unique gameplay, it would have been far more useful for the marketing to focus on mechanics and how they tie into central themes, rather than having exceptionally cinematic trailers revealing little of what gamers will be spending most of their time doing. It would be a good idea for Kojima Productions to avoid this withDeath Stranding 2, but that’s already not guaranteed.
Death Stranding 2’s Marketing Already Looks Wild
Death Stranding’s sequel has yet to receive a release date, and the marketing surrounding it has been anything but ordinary. Hints that Kojima might be gearing up to reveal something new peppered 2022 as strange posters appeared featuring performers such as Elle Fanning andDeadpool 2’s Shioli Kutsuna. Then fans finally got a reveal trailer forDeath Stranding 2at The Game Awards, showing Fragile saving a baby as Sam has aged considerably.
The reveal trailer hints thatDeath Stranding 2may be taking things underwater, which may open the door for interesting new gameplay mechanics and methods of traversal. This is necessary, as aDeath Strandingsequel has the potential to be boring if it merely reuses its predecessor’s gameplay. To assure fans that the next game won’t just be a carbon copy of the first, it would be useful for Kojima to leave behind his usual chaotic marketing and offer a simple gameplay reveal demonstrating what people can expect.
According to leaks, people will have towait until 2024 beforeDeath Stranding 2’s release. Within that timeframe, Kojima has plenty of opportunities for mind-blowing trailers riddled with minor details that fans will be picking at for months. Amid it all, hopefully there is some normal marketing that gives fans a clear picture of what they’re getting themselves into.
