Hideo Kojima has clarified his stance on the role of artificial intelligence in game development, emphasizing that his interest lies firmly in gameplay systems rather than visual generation. Speaking about his design philosophy in a recent interview, the Kojima Productions founder explained that AI holds greater potential when applied to player interaction and enemy behavior, rather than being used to create graphics or visual assets.
“Rather than having AI create visuals or anything like that, I’m more interested in using AI in the control systems,” Kojima said. He elaborated that players approach games with vastly different habits and physical tendencies, which directly influence how they move, react, and engage with mechanics. According to Kojima, these individual differences are rarely accounted for in traditional design models, resulting in experiences that feel rigid or predictable across players.
“For example, if you have 100 players, each of them will have their own habits and tendencies, their sense of control, how they move — all of that differs from person to person,” he explained. Kojima believes that AI can be used to adjust gameplay dynamically, compensating for these variations and, in turn, creating more nuanced interactions. This approach, he suggests, allows the game itself to respond to the player rather than forcing the player to adapt entirely to fixed systems.
A major focus of his interest is enemy behavior, which he argues often fails to resemble human decision making. “By having AI compensate for those differences, the gameplay can gain more depth. And in most games, the enemies don’t behave very much like real humans,” Kojima said. He added that AI-driven enemies could evolve based on a player’s experience, actions, and patterns, creating encounters that feel reactive rather than scripted. “That kind of dynamic response would make much deeper gameplay possible.”
These ideas align closely with Kojima’s broader design ethos, which is on full display in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. The sequel shifts its setting from the fractured United States to the harsh and surreal landscapes of Australia and continues the story of Sam Porter Bridges, once again portrayed by Norman Reedus. The narrative also features Elle Fanning and George Miller, with players operating from the mobile base Magellan in a world that remains deeply unstable.
Released on June 26, 2025, for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro, with a PC version planned for 2026, Death Stranding 2 expands on stealth and combat systems while doubling down on Kojima’s signature eccentricity.
