Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind the Metal Gear series, has recently shared his thoughts on the sustainability of his creative career while also revealing that his latest project, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, is currently in the intense "crunch time" phase of development. Through a series of posts on X/Twitter, Kojima expressed his fatigue and detailed the challenges of this critical period in game development.
Crunch time, a term familiar to the gaming industry, refers to the period when developers work extended hours, often sacrificing days off, to meet project deadlines. Despite many studios pledging to avoid such practices following recent controversies, Kojima's candid admission of being in crunch time is noteworthy, especially coming from a studio head.
"The most demanding period of game development—both physically and mentally—commonly known as 'crunch time,'" Kojima stated. He elaborated on the multifaceted nature of his current workload, which includes mixing, Japanese voice recording, and a host of other tasks such as writing comments, explanations, essays, interviews, and discussions, alongside non-game-related work. "It's incredibly tough," he added.
Although Kojima did not explicitly mention Death Stranding 2, the game is the most likely candidate for being in crunch phase, given its scheduled release in 2025. Other projects at Kojima Productions, such as OD and Physint, are believed to be in earlier stages of development without set release dates.
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
Kojima's reflections on his career longevity were not directly tied to the current crunch period but were instead inspired by his recent purchase of a Ridley Scott biography. At 61, Kojima pondered, "At this age, I can't help but think about how much longer I'll be able to stay 'creative.' I want to keep going for the rest of my life, but is it 10 more years? 20? Every day feels like I’m racing against the clock." He drew inspiration from Ridley Scott, who remains active at 87 and created the masterpiece Gladiator past the age of 60.
Despite nearing four decades in the video game industry, Kojima's determination to continue creating reassures fans that his retirement is not imminent. An extended gameplay reveal of Death Stranding 2 in September showcased the game's unique elements, including a bizarre photo mode, dancing puppet men, and a character portrayed by George Miller, the director of Mad Max.
In January, an introduction to the game's story was shared, though much remains mysterious due to its complex themes. Kojima has confirmed which characters will not be returning. IGN's review of the original Death Stranding gave it a 6/10, noting, "Death Stranding delivers a fascinating world of supernatural sci-fi, but its gameplay struggles to support its weight."
