Hideo Kojima Continues to Face Back Pain During Development

Hideo Kojima has once again informed fans about his persistent back pain while working on Death Stranding 2: On The Beach. As the head of Kojima Productions, he has multiple projects in the pipeline, but the eagerly awaited sequel to Death Stranding remains a focal point for fans. Kojima has made it clear that he is pushing through his discomfort to deliver this next monumental title from his studio.

Death Stranding 2 follows the 2019 action game that chronicled the journey of Norman Reedus's character, Sam, as he navigated a post-apocalyptic landscape to deliver supplies to isolated colonies. The sequel brings back familiar faces, including Reedus, Lea Seydoux as Fragile, and Troy Baker as Higgs, while introducing new characters played by Elle Fanning as Tomorrow and Shioli Kutsuna as Rainy.

One of the highlights from this year’s Tokyo Game Show was the unveiling of Death Stranding 2’s photo mode, which aims to enhance the game’s experimental nature with stunning realism.

On Twitter, Kojima posted a snapshot of a PlayStation 5 controller and a headset on his desk, captioning it, “Building the game. It’s hard cause my back hurts.” This followed a similar post in September where he revealed that he had injured his back and described the pain as “intense.” While the release date for Death Stranding 2 has reportedly been set, it’s evident that Kojima and his team are diligently working to meet their deadlines. Fans, however, have humorously speculated about the source of his recurring back issues.

Fans Speculate on Kojima's Back Pain

Many fans humorously attribute Kojima's injuries to the weight of carrying the gaming industry for the past 25 years. Among a flurry of lighthearted replies, one Twitter user quipped, “Carrying so much excellent video game history must be very hard on the spinal column.” Others jokingly suggested that his back injury might be a teaser for a new character named "Back Hurtman" in Death Stranding 2.

In addition to the sequel, Kojima is also developing an action-espionage game codenamed PHYSINT, rumored to be a spiritual successor to the iconic Metal Gear Solid series. Furthermore, Kojima Productions is collaborating with A24 to adapt Death Stranding into a live-action film. Kojima has even expressed interest in creating a game set in space, showcasing his relentless ambition to craft exciting, memorable experiences that resonate with gamers, despite his ongoing back challenges.

Looking ahead, Kojima's schedule is packed. In addition to his current projects, he is teaming up with director Jordan Peele on a horror game titled OD, which will be an Xbox exclusive. The game’s intriguing premise aims to “explore the concept of testing your fear threshold.” Featuring a star-studded cast that includes Hunter Schaffer and Sophia Lillis, OD promises to blur the lines between gaming and film, creating a groundbreaking “new form of media.”