If there’s one core message that Hideo Kojima wants players to grasp in Death Stranding 2, it’s that humans must not allow artificial intelligence and the internet to dictate their lives. Specifically, the game has eerily predicted phenomena like fake news, echo chambers, and the proliferation of AI bots long before they became commonplace realities. Given the developer’s established track record of foreseeing digital pitfalls, why did Kojima target humanity’s algorithmic subservience as the central theme of his latest project?
Kojima’s Battle Cry Against AI Overload
Beyond Death Stranding 2, Kojima has always packed his games with layered themes, with Metal Gear Solid 2 being a great example. While the game functions as a gripping spy thriller on the surface, it contains remarkably prescient commentary on:
- social engineering
- meme culture
- future trajectory of the internet decades ahead of its time
In a conversation with enfaminicogamer (via translations from Automaton and machine translation), Kojima addressed Death Stranding 2‘s provocative mantra, “Should we have connected?” To clarify what he meant with the question, he stated that the connection itself wasn’t the inherent problem the game sought to critique. Instead, he wanted to focus on people’s overuse and over-reliance on these digital tools, causing increasingly made decisions based purely on algorithmic suggestions rather than their own judgment. Although Kojima didn’t intend to demonize technology outright, he acknowledges its essential role.
Furthermore, he mentioned the AI assistant on his own phone constantly trying to suggest numerous things to him as a personal example. When he admitted that he disliked that aspect of the technology, he stated that he found the unsolicited algorithmic guidance intrusive and counter to independent thought. For Kojima, Death Stranding 2 emerged as his artistic exploration of this critical modern dilemma, urging players to reclaim agency in an algorithmically saturated world. Ultimately, the developer believes the game serves as a cautionary tale about maintaining human autonomy amidst pervasive digital influence.
Death Stranding 2 Asks: “Should We Have Connected?”
Kojima passionately argued that unexpected “coincidences” were needed for humans to have meaningful lives. Moreover, he described everyday randomness, such as stumbling upon a new café during a commute or accidentally meeting someone fascinating, as vital. Simply put, these circumstances cannot be replicated or scheduled by any algorithm. According to Kojima, the authentic texture of human experience is formed by these unplanned moments. That said, given the use of AI in humans’ everyday lives dictating every choice, the developer wants to know: what room remains for the beautiful accidents that truly define existence?
To clarify, Kojima isn’t advocating for the complete abandonment of technology altogether, as he readily acknowledged the internet’s immense convenience. In fact, he even credited it with helping society navigate the immense challenges of the COVID pandemic. Still, he warned of the difference between using technology and becoming enslaved by it, stating that these digital tools could become addictive. In a recent MIT study, the overuse of tools like ChatGPT potentially erodes crucial critical thinking skills, further adding significant weight to the developer’s perspective. So, while his stance isn’t technophobic, he does emphasize the need for protecting human autonomy and spontaneity, and hopes Death Stranding 2 is able to convey that to players.
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