Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind the Metal Gear series, recently shared his reflections on creativity and the demanding nature of game development. Amidst the "crunch time" for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach – slated for a 2025 release – Kojima voiced his exhaustion on X/Twitter.

Kojima's candid posts detailed the intense pressures of this crucial development phase. He described "crunch" as the most physically and mentally demanding period, encompassing not only game development but also a multitude of additional tasks: writing, commentary, essays, interviews, and other non-game related commitments. This admission is unusual, as many studios strive to avoid crunch, a practice often associated with employee burnout.

While Kojima didn't explicitly name Death Stranding 2 as the project undergoing crunch, it's the most likely candidate given its impending release and the typical timing of crunch periods towards the end of development. His other projects, OD and Physint, are seemingly in earlier stages.

The most demanding period of game development—both physically and mentally—commonly known as “crunch time.” On top of mixing and Japanese voice recording, there’s an inevitable pile of other tasks: writing comments, explanations, essays, interviews, discussions, and… https://t.co/FrXRgaS748

— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) January 10, 2025

Kojima's contemplation of his own creative longevity, however, seems less directly tied to this current crunch. Instead, it appears spurred by reading a Ridley Scott biography. At 61, he questions how much longer he can maintain his creative drive, expressing a desire to continue but acknowledging the finite nature of time. He cites Ridley Scott's continued success at 87 as inspiration.

Despite these reflections, Kojima assures fans he remains committed to his craft, despite nearly four decades in the industry.

Death Stranding 2's gameplay, showcased in September, continues the series' characteristically bizarre style, featuring elements like a unique photo mode, dancing figures, and a character portrayed by George Miller. A story introduction was revealed in January, but many aspects remain shrouded in mystery. Kojima has, however, confirmed some character absences. The first Death Stranding received a 6/10 review from IGN, praising its world-building but criticizing its gameplay.