Hideo Kojima's
Death Stranding is once again in the eye of the storm as some players are implying that he's trying to legitimise video games by hiring high-profile actors like
The Walking Dead's breakout star Norman Reedus, or
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story's Mads Mikkelsen.
It hasn't got any better now that during this past E3 the game revealed that actresses Léa Sydoux and Lindsay Wagner were also joining the cast—not to mention the game has managed to reel in acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro, who's playing a character in
Death Stranding.
Now Kojima has stepped forward in an attempt to let players know that his intention is not to legitimise video games as he simply sees hiring professional actors as a means to enrich the story he wants to tell—in this case
Death Stranding's.
"
That’s not my aim at all. Game development is something that takes a lot of energy and requires a lot of time and is something you wholly invest your life into. I’m sure it’s the same case for making a movie but when you’re investing so much you don’t think about whether actors sell or whether they’re famous or they’re established. For me, it was more working with people I trust and people I like to work with", clarified Mr. Kojima as he reminisces that back in the day they didn't use actors and created new characters from scratch like in anime.
"
I’ve been making games for 32 years and the technology now means I can create whatever I can think of with 100% validity. But that’s not interesting because it has no analog element, it has no organic, living element".
Kojima also mentions that one of the reasons he likes to have actors playing his characters is because they can add something to the story that sometimes he may have overlooked, thus enriching the story.
"
For example, if I had Norman here I might say I want him sitting in this chair and he’ll say, no, I think it would be better if I sit over here. And I’ll be, right, let’s see what comes out of it. I want to get the kind of chemical reaction that comes out of using these actors, to create the game and develop the game together. Working with Norman, working with Mads, working with Lindsay, working with Lea – all of them contribute a lot and have a lot of ideas. Especially Mads – he’s the guy who takes over the whole set at times"!
Truth be told, Kojima didn't need to explain anything to anyone and people getting upset over
Death Stranding's cast are clearly blowing this out of proportion. That said, Hideo Kojima still has some very valid points when it comes to hiring these high-profile actors and, if hiring actors to play his characters is what he thinks is best for the game, why shouldn't he? It's his game, after all, and he can do whatever he wants with it.
From legendary game creator Hideo Kojima comes an all new, genre defining experience for the PlayStation 4. Besieged by death's tide at every turn, Sam Bridges must brave a world utterly transformed by the Death Stranding. Carrying the stranded remnants of the future in his hands, Sam embarks on a journey to reunite the shattered world one step at a time.