Hideo Kojima has confirmed the release of his upcoming game Death Stranding will be delayed.
In an interview by Saya Ichikawa at Trume Time and Tide, Kojima stated that the release of the game is "slightly out of the initial plan, but not much delayed." Kojima mentioned that he needs to make a few compromises, but to also be sure that the game meets his personal standards once released.
While no actual release date has been given, Kojima revealed before that Death Stranding will be released before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. This means a possible release in the spring of 2020, or the end of 2019 at the very earliest. Kojima mentioned back in 2016 that the game will be released in 2019, the same year the classic animated movie Akira is set.
Death Stranding is an action game with an open world environment, offering multiplayer functionality. Kojima revealed that one of the ideas for the game was the relationship of life and death. The title itself is derived from an event known as cetacean stranding or beaching, a phenomenon where dolphins and whales strand themselves on the beach. Strand could also mean connections and strings. This is why Kojima said that he wants players to communicate through the game equivalent of ropes.
In Death Stranding, main character Sam dies and is sent to an upside-down world that is submerged in water. Sam is voiced by Norman Reedus of The Walking Dead fame with Mads Mikkelsen of Hannibal voicing the antagonist.
Death Stranding was officially announced at E3 2016, receiving a positive response. Kojima himself graced the event and, along with the trailer of the game, was considered by many as one of the most discussed moments of E3 that year.
Death Stranding will be the first game Kojima has developed after parting with Konami. The game will be exclusive for the PS4.
