He also brings up the idea that, in case of a major catastrophe, access to the digital data can instantly be blocked for users.

“Eventually, even digital data will no longer be owned by individuals on their own initiative,” he wrote. “Whenever there is a major change or accident in the world, in a country, in a government, in an idea, in a trend, access to it may suddenly be cut off. We will not be able to freely access the movies, books, and music that we have loved. I would be a have-not. That’s what I’m afraid of. This is not greed.”

Aside from allusions to potential class-based inequity that this might intensify, Kojima is no stranger to his work essentially disappearing due to the fact that it was digital in nature. One just has to look at P.T., which was released on PS4 back in 2014. Meant to be a demo for the then-in-development Silent Hills when Kojima was still working at Konami, the demo was not only delisted from the PlayStation Store. It was also removed from servers entirely, which meant that not even PS4 users who already had the game could re-download it.

It is also worth noting that Kojima’s works have had a tendency to predict major world-changing events well before they actually happened. An infamous codec conversation from Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, for example, predicted how the growth of Internet usage would eventually lead to users being stuck in their own small communities with a lack of new ideas forming. We can see this in action with social media platforms today. Similarly, Death Stranding was able to predict the importance of couriers just a few months before a worldwide pandemic would keep everyone locked indoors, forcing them to rely on couriers of their own for essential supplies.

While we never really got to see the Silent Hills that was teased by P.T., Kojima has decided to return to the horror genre with the development of OD at Kojima Productions. While few details about the project have been revealed aside from the Knock trailer, Kojima has spoken about having an in-game system to aid players who might be too scared to continue.

“I wanted to go beyond the limit of the ‘scariness’ that other games had reached,” he said about OD. “It’s a single-player game, and I wanted to make it as scary as possible. But for those that might stop playing when it gets too scary, I have thought of a system that will allow them to keep going. I can’t say much more, because it’ll give too much of a hint on the system, and I could get in trouble for saying too much!”

OD is being developed for PC and Xbox Series X/S. While the industry at large braces for major layoffs, studio closures, and project cancellations at Xbox, rumors indicate that work on OD will remain unaffected.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for several other studios. According to reports over the past week, it’s allegedly looking to offload or shut down Ninja Theory (Senua), Undead Labs (State of Decay 3), Compulsion Games (South of Midnight), Double Fine Productions (Psychonauts 2), and Arkane Lyon (Marvel’s Blade).

Why spotlight two titles in its Xbox Games Showcase when the studios could shut down next week? Your guess is as good as ours, but Xbox reportedly went ahead and showcased Senua, despite already planning to shutter Ninja Theory. Of course, there’s still the possibility that a buyer acquires these studios or the higher-ups buy back their freedom. Time will tell, but right now, it’s not looking great.

As for OD, it’s Kojima Productions’ main focus for 2026. Apparently existing as a concept since the first Death Stranding, Kojima recently revealed that it has a system in place for those who are too scared to continue. Head here for more details.

We know that there are two million of you out there who agree that it was an experience like no other, and that’s no mean feat when you consider a bevy of great games last year. And that’s precisely why we think that it’s worth talking about. Death Stranding has always been a franchise that’s had the distinction of being one that has big names, actors, an astronomical budget, visual splendor, and the benefit of being a PlayStation exclusive. You’d think those sales numbers could, and perhaps should, be bigger.

But the reality is that it’s feeling like a niche hit with a massive fan base as opposed to the more universally appealing PlayStation mega franchises that we’ve come to know and love. We’re sure you’re curious about why that’s the case, so let’s get right to it.

The Numbers Tell Stories

Let’s break down those rather modest sales numbers first. Death Stranding 2 reportedly passed the 2 million mark after it launched on the PC, with 425,000 copies sold on Steam and another estimated 1.6 million of them moving via the PS5. For many games, those are numbers that the developers behind them would be smiling about.

But this is Hideo Kojima we’re talking about, and a game that had Sony, Norman Reedus, Lea Seydoux, and Elle Fanning in its cast. Moreover, the production values on it screamed of a premium experience, a sentiment echoed by the game’s marketing. The numbers feel more modest than anyone would expect, considering those factors.

Of course, Death Stranding 2 was indeed a premium game, and was one that can’t easily be imitated by another studio. It was also highly anticipated, with Sam Porter’s adventures in the first game allowing the sequel to command a very attentive audience ever since the curtain was lifted on it. But somehow, it feels like the discourse around it may have pushed the ceiling it was supposed to hit too high for its own good.

Too Big For Its Boots

Why do we say that? Well, Death Stranding 2 is a game that’s always felt like one whose scope extended far beyond the world it tries to get you invested in. It’s one whose name echoes in every corner of the gaming world, and is one that invites opinions even from people who haven’t really played it.

Its trailers often become trends on their own, its weirdness has been the source of many hilarious memes, moments from its gameplay are often cited as ones that stay with you long after you’re done playing it, and Kojima’s iconic presence gave every reveal made throughout its marketing campaign an aura of importance that often transcends what other games are evaluated on.

But cultural significance doesn’t necessarily translate to mainstream adoption. A game can get famous even if it hasn’t been played by a significant majority of gamers, and Death Stranding is arguably the best example of that. It might be talked about quite often, but does that mean it has the mass appeal of Sony’s other franchises?

Look at Spider-Man, for instance. That was a franchise that carried prestige alongside the appeal of playing as a superhero, which we’ve known for most of our time engaging with popular culture. Ghost of Tsushima carried the Sucker Punch label and the appeal of a samurai fantasy, along with a story that was instantly captivating. The Last of Us was an excellent game whose story catapulted it to fame, while the TV show immediately boosted its accessibility.

Death Stranding carried a fair bit of prestige too, with Kojima’s pedigree often announcing it as a title to watch out for, but it was a title that demanded patience, diligence, and a lot of willingness to contend with friction in its gameplay loop. It’s a great concept and a solid game, but it wasn’t for everyone. And that difference matters.

Kojima’s name isn’t a cheat code for automatic success, after all. He’s an icon whose very presence can help sell a project, creating anticipation, trust, and a fair bit of attention for anything he touches. But Death Stranding is evidence that the Kojima brand isn’t enough to make a concept as strange as the one it offers a mainstream success.

Yes, it can help with getting people to talk about the game, and perhaps even watch a few trailers. It can get critics and fans to treat a launch like a culturally significant event, a milestone of sorts. But dive into the gameplay loop, and you see a finished product that’s deliberate and slow.

And that could cause many players to admire it from a distance instead of actually engaging with it and discovering how emotionally dense and layered what it’s offering can be.

Praised, But Not Adored

You might be wondering why we picked this one as our Game of the Year, given all that we’ve been saying about it here. A game’s quality isn’t necessarily tied to its commercial scale, and that’s a bit of nuance that’s often overlooked. That’s especially true when it’s quite hard to accurately point to what makes a game special, and in one that’s as unusual and demanding as DS2, that becomes especially relevant.

It’s a game that comes with barriers, challenging you to overcome them by showing the same resilience that its protagonists demonstrate. DS2 might have been polished, beautiful, very emotionally resonant, and extremely ambitious, but it still had its limitations. It was a sequel to an already divisive first outing, while its core fantasy doesn’t carry the immediate appeal of a samurai or superhero.

The story could seem too philosophical to players who want something more straightforward, and the same can be said for its gameplay loop, which comes with an appeal that only the most discerning of players could grow to love. These so-called “flaws” are what make it as special as it is and are a part of its identity. But they could also limit how appealing it can be to someone who doesn’t grasp the vision it brings to the table.

It’s also important to consider that the first game had a very long time to accumulate massive sales. The original game managed five million copies across the PS4 and PC by March 2021, but there were several factors at play. They include a longer post-release window, a lot of conversation (and we mean a lot!), and had multiple discounts, a re-release, access via subscriptions, and of course, the game’s PC debut working its favor.

Doesn’t DS2 deserve a similar window before its commercial viability is analysed? We’d agree, as its launch momentum isn’t a final indicator of its mass appeal. But that only serves to strengthen our argument that this one’s a game that slowly draws players in through word of mouth, curiosity, discounts, a presence on PC, and, of course, its cultural staying power.

It may not be a mainstream blockbuster franchise, but it does have value as a long-term prestige play. And that’s where Sony comes in.

A Prestige Problem

If you think about Sony’s wider strategy for PlayStation, the brand has built a reputation around polished, cinematic experiences that are presented as premium single-player titles. It’s a strategy that’s paid dividends in the past and recent present, and will probably continue to do so in the near future.

DS2 stands out in that regard, though. It’s a prestige project to be sure, but it’s one that doesn’t come with a broadly accepted fantasy, the appeal of a familiar genre, or mass-market characters. It does carry a unique, auteur-driven identity that lets it stand out from other titles that fall into one or more of the other categories, though.

That doesn’t rule out its chances of achieving commercial success on the level of those titles over the course of its shelf life, and it’s not a bad investment despite not having the same commercial ceiling. It does, however, cement PlayStation as a home for ambitious creators who come with a vision for something that hasn’t been done before.

It’s proof that its unique form of prestige might not be as commercially well-performing, and it proves that not every critically acclaimed game is going to be a tentpole for the PlayStation brand, even if it’s one that became an internet sensation and a source of a lot of discussion around it. The intensity of its online presence seems to have distorted expectations around its scope and scale, in a way that has made it seem like it should have sold more than it has, despite the actual game being attractive to a relatively narrow buying audience.

But that still isn’t bad news for Kojima Productions, as a successful cult game is probably the best thing to happen for the studio. It has never needed to chase the largest possible audience it can get, but has definitely shown the intent to be a studio that makes games nobody else can make.

DS2’s devoted audience, and its rare creative identity courtesy of its makers, are factors that are more crucial in the examination of its overall success. Its sales numbers pale in significance to its avoidance of trying to be a mainstream blockbuster. It never tried to be one, and we think that it’s high time the industry and the game’s fans acknowledge that facet of its existence.

From that perspective, DS2 is a reality check, and should be seen that way as opposed to thinking about it as a disappointment. It isn’t Spider-Man, or Horizon Forbidden West, and that’s the point. It’s a title that has all the makings of a blockbuster, but one that is a lot more specific and focused on a vision that’s decidedly stranger and more fragile.

It’s what has made it sell like a successful cult game, and is certainly what it was always meant to be.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organizatio

He was also cognisant of people who might want to play a game directed by him but don’t quite have the stomach to handle scary experiences in horror games. For players like that, he said that he has thought up a system that will allow them to experience OD as well.

“I wanted to go beyond the limit of the ‘scariness’ that other games had reached,” he said about OD. “It’s a single-player game, and I wanted to make it as scary as possible. But for those that might stop playing when it gets too scary, I have thought of a system that will allow them to keep going. I can’t say much more, because it’ll give too much of a hint on the system, and I could get in trouble for saying too much!”

Kojima also spoke about the difficulty of getting OD made, noting that he had already come up with the concept when the original Death Stranding was still in development. He recalled that many companies he pitched the project to called him “crazy”, saying that they didn’t understand the general concept.

“I wanted to do something new. I wanted to do something different,” he says. “I had this OD concept since I was working on DS1 [Death Stranding] and I was working on it just by myself. I can’t reveal much detail, but it’s something that no one has ever seen before. A new game system.”

“I pitched to many people, to the big companies, and also to the up-and-coming companies. All of them said the same thing. They said that I’m crazy, and that they really don’t understand the concept — that they will not be able to do it.”

Ultimately, the title started development under Xbox thanks to a deal made between Kojima and former Xbox CEO Phil Spencer. Current CEO of the division, Asha Sharma, even went as far as calling it a “deeply moving game”.

OD was announced all the way back in 2023, and Kojima Productions had confirmed that it was making use of Unreal Engine and MetaHuman to make the game. While details remain scarce, the game is also expected to use Microsoft’s cloud technology in some way, and Kojima has gone as far as to call it “a game, but also a movie.” Owing to the fact that the studio has been busy with Death Stranding 2: On the Beach until last year, as well as 2024’s SAG-AFTRA strikes, development on OD was slow.

Earlier this year, Kojima said that the studio will largely focus on the development of OD and espionage game Physint in 2026. Of the two, OD is expected to come out first, and Physint has just entered the “preparation” phase, which involves casting actors and scanning.

As revealed to Entertainment Weekly in a larger story about Xbox’s new direction, all the actors are in play with one exception: Udo Kier, who passed away last year. Though his scan had been completed, Kojima revealed that a shoot with him wasn’t possible. Whether he’s still involved and to what degree remains unknown.

Of course, the question remains: What is OD? We know it’s a horror game and that Kojima is working with Oscar-winning Jordan Peele, but the premise (aside from “overdosing on fear”) and how it plays is a mystery. However, it seems the concept has existed since he began with the first Death Stranding.

“I wanted to do something new. I wanted to do something different. I had this OD concept since I was working on DS1, and I was working on it just by myself. I can’t reveal much detail, but it’s something that no one has ever seen before. A new game system.”

Does that have something to do with the trademarked Social Scream and Social Stealth systems? We’ll have to wait and find out, but it’s worth noting the new screenshot included in EW’s story. It shows a woman in red (possibly played by Hunter Schafer), standing in a shrouded doorway with a blank expression. On the left is Sophia Lillis’s character on a TV screen, but the right is more interesting. You can spot a slightly ajar door with a door chain…which is a literal chain.

A subtle callback to P.T., perhaps? It would certainly fit with earlier speculation that the title features references to the cancelled Silent Hills, which Kojima was meant to direct.

Sharma also retweeted Kojima’s post, noting that meeting him was a “Wonderful way to close my first 60 days,” referring to the recent start to her tenure as head of Microsoft Gaming. While Kojima’s main purpose behind visiting Sharma and Booty at the Xbox offices likely has more to do with his upcoming horror game—OD—the box indicates that he also got a special gift from the company.

It is worth noting that a development kit for Microsoft’s next-generation Xbox would likely be far larger than the relatively small box held by Kojima in the photo. Along with this, kits for Project Helix are also unlikely to be ready yet. Xbox’s vice president, Jason Ronald, had even confirmed last month that alpha versions of the Project Helix software development kit (SDK) will be shipping out to developers in 2027.

“Project Helix is powered by a custom AMD [system on chip] and co-designed for the next generation of DirectX and FSR to unlock what comes next…It delivers an order of magnitude leap in ray tracing performance and capability, integrates intelligence directly into the graphics and compute pipeline, and drives meaningful gains in efficiency, scale, and visual ambition. The result is more realistic, immersive, and dynamic worlds for players.”

As for Project Helix, Xbox’s general manager of portfolio and programs Chris Charla had spoken about how developers would need to start working on Xbox and PC today in order to appropriately prepare for the next-generation console. “We’re working hard so developers can make one Xbox build in the future and it’ll run on their Project Helix console, on PC and on streaming and cloud surfaces like smart TVs and other devices,” he said.

“Someone looking to be ready for next-gen with Xbox should be developing for Xbox console today, developing for Xbox on PC, and supporting Xbox Play Anywhere,” he continued. “That’ll put you in pole position for the next generation and ensure your Xbox on PC game runs natively on Project Helix. The exact specifics may differ per developer and game. In a lot of cases if you’re coming from a Steam or stock PC build it may be smarter to start with the Xbox for PC version first and then use that as the basis for the Xbox console version. Of course we’ll have more details about how developers can take advantage of the specific hardware features of Project Helix in the months ahead, but doing this ensures they’ll have a native build on Project Helix.”

Kojima himself is fresh off the PC release of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and has likely begun focusing more towards Kojima Productions’ upcoming games—OD and Physint.

The studio has also noted that the update brings in more options for players to tweak when it comes to defining sharpness when making use of image upscaling. Along with this, bugs related to frame generation have also been addressed. For more details about the update, take a look at the full patch notes below.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach was released on PC just last month and has seemingly been quite a successful launch. It made its debut with almost 56,000 concurrent players on launch day, along with an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating with 96 percent of all reviews praising the port. In its estimates, research firm Alinea Analytics has estimated that, as of the end of March, the PC release of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach sold around 425,000 copies, bringing up the game’s total sales across PC and PS5 to over 2 million.

Leading up to the title’s PC release, Kojima Productions had taken to the PlayStation Blog to discuss some of the platform-specific features that had been designed for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. This includes features like ray tracing with reflections and ambient occlusion, as well as new content like the To The Wilder difficulty mode that pushes “your porter skills to the extreme in merciless environments filled with deadly enemies”. It is worth noting that new gameplay content was also added to the PS5 version with a free update.

Our own review of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach on PC praised it, giving it a score of 10 out of 10 thanks to its excellent performance on the platform, plenty of graphics options, compelling story, and gameplay refinements over its predecessor. We called the title a “uniquely meditative experience” that was “punctuated by high-octane action” with “awesome boss fights”.

More recently, Kojima Productions had also updated the title to bring in enough performance refinements to get it officially Steam Deck Verified. This means that, along with UI considerations like readable texts and controller support, it is also capable of running on Valve’s handheld gaming PC at reasonable frame rates without many crashes or other issues.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach PC update 1.4 patch notes:

• Players on Steam will now see more Steam user avatars in the Social Strand Service.
• Fixed various rare crashes and implemented additional stability improvements.
• Expanded the range of sharpness control for upscaling options.
• Improved image quality for various textures when Texture Quality is set to Medium or lower.
• AMD FSR and Intel XeSS Frame Generation now correctly include vignetting when interpolating frames.
• Resolved a bug affecting the appearance of flowing water that occurred when building a Hot Spring with Frame Generation enabled.
• Various improvements and bug fixes related to the user interface.
• Fixed various minor graphics-related bugs.

MP1st reportedly spotted new casting calls under the codename “Shimmer” with Mari Ueda of Pivot Motion (which worked on Death Stranding 2: On the Beach) serving as casting director. The described scene allegedly involves a hijacked bus with multiple passengers, including a mother and her baby, various teenagers, and so on.

It’s the last reported requirement that’s so interesting – an “antagonistic character with a German accent.” Apparently described as “Mads Mikkelsen in Hannibal but with flair”, he’s reportedly slim, quiet, “intense” and “confident in a psychotic way.” Shooting allegedly starts in June, though the fact that so many showcases and events are taking place at the same time is likely a sheer coincidence.

However, this is unlikely to be a major villain akin to, say, Higgs from Death Stranding. Such details don’t typically emerge in casting calls (but rather through Kojima’s own announcements). Whether this scene is even for the game remains to be seen, but it’s at least indicative that production is underway.

While it was in the conceptual stage last year, Kojima confirmed that it and OD would be a major focus for the company in 2026. Thus far, three actors have been announced – Charlee Fraser, Ma Dong-Seok and Minami Hamabe. Could the year hold even more reveals? Stay tuned in the meantime.

This includes full controller support with appropriate input icons, the ability to bring up the on-screen keyboard when needed, a lack of compatibility warnings, and potential launchers being navigable with a controller. There’s also support for the Deck’s default resolution of 1280×800 or 1280×720, appropriate default settings, legible text, and good support for Proton, including for anti-cheat systems and any other middleware.

Aside from getting Steam Deck Verified, the update also addresses frame rate drops that players might have experienced whenever they use the scope of a sniper rifle. For more details, check out the full patch notes below.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach was released on PC just last month after having spent several months only being available on PS5. The PC release made a strong debut, peaking at 57,682 concurrent players. While Kojima Productions hasn’t revealed too many details about sales, Alinea Analytics estimated that it had sold 425,000 copies on Steam in its release month. This, combined with a previous report indicating 1.4 million sales on PS5, would bring total sales of the title up to over 2 million.

Shortly after the PC release, lead level designer Hiraoki Yoshiike spoke about the more fast-paced nature of the storytelling in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, thanks to world-building being toned down, and how it was done this way because “Kojima wanted more people to enjoy the game all the way to the end. This was an order he provided.”

He went on to discuss how, since much of the world-building had already been done with the original Death Stranding, with the sequel, the studio could focus on telling the ongoing plot rather than having to divert their attention to more world-building elements.

For more details about the PC release of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, check out our review.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach update 1.3 patch notes:

• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is now Steam Deck verified.
• Fixed hitches and stutter that could occur when zooming in with sniper rifles.
• Implemented performance optimizations.
• Fixed multiple rare crashes and improved overall stability.
• Addressed various minor graphics-related bugs.
• Various input and user interface related improvements and bug fixes.
• Implemented various text and localization related fixes.

Considering both platforms, Death Stranding 2 has potentially generated about $147 million in revenue since launch. The analyst firm also believes that the PC version’s release resulted in a significant spike in PS5 sales. Compared to previous discounts, the latter apparently jumped by 12,500 copies sold daily, peaking at 12,800.

While one could attribute this to marketing for the PC version driving more people to check it out on console, it also didn’t hurt that a new update went live for both platforms. It added new live-action cutscenes, items and an even tougher difficulty, “To The Wilder.” There’s also boss rematches and support for 21:9 ultrawide screens.

Whether or not that’s enough to spur more PS5 owners to jump in, the addition of more features certainly makes it a more attractive proposition. The lack of other major PS5 titles also likely helped (especially with Saros still more than a month away).

For more details on Death Stranding 2: On the Beach for PC, check out our review.