10 Things You Didn’t Know about Death Stranding

Death Stranding is an action game that is being developed by Kojima Productions at the moment. It is expected to be released for the PS4 by Sony Interactive Entertainment, but no release date has been announced at this point in time, which has contributed to rumors about it being a potential port for the PS5 as well. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Death Stranding:

1. The Name Refers to Beaching

The name of Death Stranding is a reference to the phenomenon of beaching, which is when cetaceans will strand themselves on land. Some potential causes include but are not limited to hunting tactics, illness or injury, and even floating carcasses being swept onto the land by the waves. Whatever the cause, beaching can be pretty dangerous for living cetaceans, which are susceptible to dehydration, collapsing under their own weight, and even drowning when their blowholes become covered by the high tide.

2. Being Made By Hideo Kojima

There are some video game directors whose names can be considered brands in their own right. One excellent example is Hideo Kojima, who tends to be best-known for the Metal Gear and Metal Gear Solid games. Otherwise, Kojima has a reputation for philosophical exploration, a noted fondness for American action movies, and a considerable measure of self-indulgence when it comes to his game-making.

3. Made Possible By Split Between Hideo Kojima and Konami

Death Stranding wouldn’t be possible without the split between Hideo Kojima and Konami, which was caused by the making of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Going into detail would take up too much space, but suffice to say that the break was pretty bad, so much so that Konami seems to have made a serious effort to minimize the credit given to Kojima.

4. Action Game In an Open World Environment

Currently, Death Stranding is being described as an action game in an open world environment. However, it is interesting to note that Kojima has compared it to Metal Gear, which was described as an action game but went on to be labeled a stealth game because it made a major contribution to the development of the genre.

5. Supposed to Explore Connections Between Life and Death

Content-wise, Death Stranding is supposed to explore connections between life and death. In particular, Kojima has mentioned a Japanese short story in which the first tool was a stick with which to keep away bad things while the second tool was a rope with which to secure important things.

6. Has Compared Game Elements to Sticks and Ropes

Kojima has compared main tools in action games such as punching and kicking to “sticks.” Moreover, he has stated his intent for players to communicate through Death Stranding’s version of “ropes.” What exactly Kojima means by this remains unclear because speaking bluntly, Kojima can get pretty trippy.

7. There Will Be Two Worlds in the Game

Some statements suggest that there will be two worlds in Death Stranding. One would be the world of the living, while the other would be a strange upside-down world submerged in water where the main character Sam is sent after he dies.

8. There Will Be Something Called Timefall

One of the more curious elements is the mention of something called “Timefall.” Essentially, it is a kind of rain that will cause whatever it hits to age and otherwise deteriorate.

9. People Might Recognize Some of the Characters

People who pay attention to the marketing for Death Stranding might recognize some of the characters. After all, the protagonist is being portrayed by Norman Reedus, while the antagonist is being portrayed by Mads Mikkelsen, both of whom are relatively well-known actors.

10. Subject of Much Speculation

Kojima games are often the subjects of much speculation. Death Stranding is no exception to this rule. Moreover, it has received a boost in this regard because of the uncertainty over when people can expect the PS5. Since Death Stranding has no official release date even though it has been announced for the PS4, there are people who think that it will be released late enough for it to make a smooth transition to the PS5 once that comes out.