Kojima Thinks You’re Being Dramatic When You Call Death Stranding a Walking Simulator

There are few things gamers love more than arguing about their favorite games, and Hideo Kojima knows that better than most, being one of the most experienced and recognizable developers in the industry.

However, the legendary creator of Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding believes there’s a bigger problem with the way we discuss games online, and he has a pretty good example to prove his point.

This discussion took place during a joint interview with filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu published by Gizmodo Japan to mark the Japanese premiere of Digger, the filmmaker’s latest movie (I know what you’re thinking, and yes, it’s literally two legends having a conversation). During their discussion, the two creatives explored the influence of social media on how people perceive the world, with Kojima drawing parallels between Iñárritu’s film and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.

Released in 2001, the game explored themes involving information control and the manipulation of public perception long before social media became such a massive part of everyday life. According to Kojima, the story feels increasingly relevant, as false information can spread rapidly online and potentially influence everything from politics to our daily lives.

But the developer also sees the same problem affecting how people talk about entertainment. Iñárritu argued that algorithms are creating a fragmented understanding of reality, with people forming strong opinions about movies they haven’t watched based on the conversations surrounding them rather than the actual experience.

Kojima then brought up the infamous “walking simulator” label that has followed Death Stranding since its release, explaining that people who hadn’t played it would repeatedly call it “just a walking simulator,” as though they had experienced the game themselves. For him, the fact that this perception continues to persist is particularly frightening.

While everyone is entitled to their opinion, the developer finds it particularly disturbing that some people who haven’t even played the game continue to describe it that way, as if they knew exactly what they were talking about.

And honestly, it’s not difficult to understand what he means. We’ve all seen discussions where a particular opinion becomes so widespread that people start repeating it without necessarily knowing where it came from. Sometimes, it feels like a game can develop its own reputation before players even pick up a controller.

Unfortunately, Kojima believes this issue could become even more concerning as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into social media. He argues that people may end up seeing only the content they enjoy and opinions they already agree with, making it harder to encounter different perspectives or discover something outside their usual interests.

That’s what he finds most frightening about the situation: the possibility that people will gradually lose opportunities to encounter ideas and experiences that challenge their existing beliefs. Rather than bringing people together, technology could end up keeping them trapped in their own little bubbles.

Interestingly, Kojima has also discussed similar themes in Death Stranding 2, explaining in an earlier interview that he doesn’t believe people should simply stop using the internet. After all, it’s an incredibly convenient tool, and he acknowledges how valuable it was during the COVID-19 pandemic. His concern is more about becoming too dependent on technology without considering how we’re using it.

As for Death Stranding, whether you love it, hate it, or genuinely believe it’s a walking simulator, that’s entirely up to you. But Kojima’s point is worth considering: there’s a difference between criticizing something you’ve experienced and repeating an opinion you’ve picked up online. And if we’re going to spend hours arguing about video games, we might as well make sure we know what we’re arguing about in the first place.