Hideo Kojima is one of the most beloved weirdoes on the internet. His convoluted yet somehow meaningful story-telling methods helped elevate the Metal Gear Solid franchise to something more than a standard stealth-action series, and his enthusiasm for making games is infectious. So when Konami decided to toss him out, everyone in the gaming industry rallied behind him, and as a result, we're only weeks away from one of the most highly anticipated games of the year, Death Stranding.
But, what if it's not good? Sure, Kojima is great, and he's an icon to gamers everywhere, but that doesn't necessarily mean that Death Stranding will be a success. So what happens if his first big project outside of Konami is a giant flop?
We're Still Not Entirely Sure What It Is
Kojima is a big fan of telling large stories that address serious issues, and have a major political message. He also likes throwing random vampires and goo monsters in there as well, just to spice things up. So far what we've seen of Death Stranding definitely looks like a Kojima game, but without Solid Snake around to anchor things, what if it's just a jumbled mess about magic babies and Mads Mikkelson covered in guck? What if it's just weird for weird's sake?
We also haven't really gotten a sense of how this game is actually going to play. A lot of people have noted that the trailers that showed any gameplay footage at all have featured Norman Reedus' character just walking across a vast open field. Occasionally we've seen small flashes of combat, but it seems like you're going to spend a majority of your time on one giant hike. Also, you can pull a giant ladder out of your back pocket, and you can pee in jars.
The graphics look very impressive, but how is any of this going to actually translate to a video game experience? We've seen a lot of story footage (not that it helps anything make sense) but if you asked anyone what genre they thought Death Stranding was, they'd likely be hard-pressed to give you an answer.
What Could Happen If It Bombs?
It's obvious that Kojima wants people to be a little confused and curious, and he wants the game to have a mysterious aura that will draw people to play it. But that tactic could backfire stupendously. It might seem so strange and esoteric that no one outside of the Kojima faithful will bother with it because they don't know what the hell it is. While bizarre, artistic games are always welcome, they don't necessarily equal mainstream success. Considering how much money has been pumped into Death Stranding, financial failure could be catastrophic.
Which ultimately begs the real question: What happens if Death Stranding is a failure with both critics and gamers?
Kojima will probably get to make another game, as even the greatest artists have failed at least once or twice throughout their careers. He has the clout within the industry to get someone to invest in his next project, so a bomb here isn't going to signal the end of Kojima Productions.
That being said, it would probably be a much smaller game. He wouldn't get the same kind of budget to play with, and he'd also be kept on a much tighter leash. Death Stranding is the kind of title that seems to be pure, unfiltered Kojima, and if it doesn't sell, there'll likely be someone behind the scenes to help reign in his more insane impulses. At the very least, you probably wouldn't get to pee in jars anymore, which would just be a shame.
It could also have the side effect of Sony not wanting to take any more big risks like this. They went all-in on Kojima after his Konami split, and if it doesn't pay off, then they may be more cautious about what developers or projects they put their money into. While it does have Kojima's name and reputation as a selling point, Death Stranding is still a pretty sizable gamble. A major loss here could mean a safer and less interesting Sony from this point forward.
Let's Hope People Really Like Mads Mikkelson
This all a big "what if" scenario of course, as we're pretty confident that Death Stranding will be a hit on some level. At best it'll be the kind of game that entire essays will be written about in a vain attempt to decipher what everything means. At worst it'll be so unbelievably bonkers that it'll be burned into our memories forever. But it is important to keep in mind that even though there's a ton of hype behind it, there's no guarantee that this will be the masterful Kojima experience that we're all wishing for.
We do hope it does turn out to be a huge success story, as we don't want anyone to censor Kojima's ideas. After all, if this is what he comes up after years of Metal Gear Solid, who knows what madness he'll have in store for us next.