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5 min readKojima Is A Genius | Asmongold
Asmongold watched the Death Stranding 2: On the Beach trailer live during a PlayStation panel at South by Southwest, and his reaction was immediate and unfiltered: "Bro, they fucking cook. That was really good." The ten-minute trailer, which Kojima himself edited, showed a game that Asmongold described as "peak weird, 100% awesome" — a tone that sits at the center of why he considers Hideo Kojima a genuine creative force in gaming.
What Makes Kojima's Approach Distinctive
The core argument Asmongold makes is that Kojima can do things other developers cannot, particularly integrating celebrity actors into a game without it feeling embarrassing. "Kojima's like the only one that can do the celebrities in the game and it not be cringe," he said. The panel featured Norman Reedus, Troy Baker, and musician Woodkid, all of whom appeared on stage alongside Kojima. Reedus described how Guillermo del Toro told him to just say yes when Kojima called, and the actor has since become a central collaborator. Baker, returning as the villain Higgs, noted that Kojima gave him a guitar and made him sing during the pandemic — a creative choice that could have failed but instead became a defining character beat.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (06:01) **Death Stranding 2 Trailer Reaction** - Asmongold watches the newly released Death Stranding 2: On the Beach trailer for the first time, reacting to its surreal and action-packed scenes.
- 2 (14:40) **Panel Begins: Hideo Kojima & Norman Reedus** - The SXSW panel starts with Hideo Kojima and actor Norman Reedus discussing the creative process behind Death Stranding 2.
- 3 (20:17) **The Evolution of Sam Bridges** - Kojima and Reedus discuss how the character of Sam has evolved in the sequel, including more emotional and action-oriented scenes.
- 4 (27:33) **The Theme of Connection & Disconnection** - Kojima reflects on the new slogan "We should not have connected" and how the pandemic influenced the story's direction.
- 5 (30:50) **Troy Baker on Higgs' Return** - Actor Troy Baker joins the panel to discuss reprising his role as the iconic villain Higgs.
- 6 (38:26) **On-Set Camaraderie** - The actors share stories about their friendship and the importance of their off-camera bond.
- 7 (43:29) **Music of Death Stranding 2** - Musician Woodkid joins the panel to discuss composing the game's soundtrack and his collaboration with Kojima.
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