Hideo Kojima, who was part of a “Master Storyteller” panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, surprised the audience by revealing the final box art for his cryptic Death Stranding, as he talked about the game, Keanu Reeves, and streaming.
Kojima revealed the cover of the Standard Edition of Death Stranding, as well as the Steelbook that will be part of the $70 Special Edition and the $200 Collector’s Edition.
Both covers’ art feature Sam Bridges, played by Norman Reedus, “who must brave a world utterly transformed by the Death Stranding, and save mankind by reconnecting a fractured society.”
In the SDCC panel, Kojima also talked about Keanu Reeves, who was originally tapped to become a part of the Death Stranding cast. The famed video game director, however, said that he picked Mads Mikkelsen, while Reeves is now featured as a major character in another highly-anticipated title, Cyberpunk 2077.
Kojima also had something to say about the battle royale trend, which has spawned the likes of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Fortnite, and Apex Legends.
“When I first started Kojima Productions, the easiest thing for me to do would have been to make a game where everyone is on an island and shoots each other.”
Another topic that was discussed was the future of the combination of gaming and streaming, which Kojima believes will make video games very interesting over the next five to 10 years.
“Gaming will be streaming too,” Kojima said. “In the near future, games and movies will come closer, in a similar category. So I think we’re going into an era with a lot of possibilities. It will not just be interactive or non-interactive, there will be something in between as well.”
Kojima’s games are known for cinematic cutscenes that progress the story. The game director may also be referring to projects such as Netflix’s Bandersnatch, which blurs the line between gaming and streaming as it allows viewers to make decisions about the direction the movie will take.
Death Stranding will launch on November 8 exclusively for the PlayStation 4. What the game is all about will likely only be known by then, so Kojima’s fans will just have to wait a few more months.
