Death Stranding 2 faces delays due to unforeseen circumstances. Explore its hyper-realistic visuals and the impact of European digital currency on gaming.
Death Stranding 2 is one of those games that feels like a myth at this point. We've been teased, shown, and given just enough to keep the hype train rolling. But when it comes to an actual release date? Yeah, we're not there yet. Hideo Kojima himself dropped the bomb during the Tokyo Game Show 2024 that we won't be getting that info until 2025. So why the delay? Let's dive into it.
Kojima had originally planned to reveal everything during TGS but said unforeseen circumstances made that impossible. Now, I don't know about you guys, but my speculation senses are tingling. Could it be something related to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strikes? Kojima's known for being a bit of a maverick in how he does things, so it's not out of the realm of possibility.
But here's the kicker: this doesn't feel like a marketing ploy. If it were, he'd have just said "no release date yet" instead of giving us a glimpse behind the curtain. Whatever it is must be pretty significant.
Now onto the meat of TGS 2024: hyper-realistic visuals and some new tech features. One thing that's clear is that Kojima Productions isn't playing around with photorealism this time. They showcased this insane photo mode where you can literally take pictures of Elle Fanning and Shioli Kutsuna as if they're real people (because they kinda look like they are).
But here's where it gets interesting: while these advancements in tech are mind-blowing, they do raise some questions about game design priorities. Are we heading into an era where graphics overshadow storytelling? I mean, sure, having a beautiful world to traverse is great—but if there's no substance behind it, what's the point?
And let's not forget how cloud gaming is changing the landscape too. With less reliance on local hardware limitations, developers can create even more complex environments—something Death Stranding 2 seems poised to take full advantage of.
Now let's pivot to something else Kojima's presentation might've hinted at: digital currencies in gaming. With Europe looking at implementing its own digital euro (and good luck trying to get any other currency through my wallet), could this be a game changer for how we pay in-game?
On one hand, it could simplify transactions across countries—no more worrying about whether your credit card will work or getting hit with conversion fees every time you buy an indie title from Japan! Plus, if companies have to show their real prices instead of obscuring them behind shiny fake currencies (looking at you Fortnite), maybe we'll finally see some transparency.
But then again... do we trust corporations not to exploit another form of payment? History says probably not.
So here we are: waiting for Death Stranding 2, pondering whether hyper-realism will consume us all or if digital currencies will make our lives easier (or worse). One thing's for sure though—whatever Kojima has cooking up will likely set new standards... even if we're still in limbo about when it'll drop.
