Hideo Kojima, the game developer known for his unique and often surprising methods, had a bit of a stumble with one of his more playful marketing efforts for his upcoming PS5 game, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. It didn’t quite land as planned.
Hideo Kojima shared a story with An-An magazine (as reported by Automation) about a unique marketing campaign for Death Stranding 2. He and his team handed out branded tissue packs in Tokyo, each with a QR code leading to a mysterious trailer for the game.
Giving away small packs of tissues might seem like an odd marketing strategy, but it used to be a popular way for businesses to advertise in Japan – similar to how companies once printed ads on matchboxes. The benefit is that people actually use the tissues, unlike flyers which are often thrown away immediately.
Kojima acknowledged that this method felt old-fashioned, but he believed physically giving items to people connected with the ideas in his game. Sadly, it didn’t generate any interest.
Man, it was rough trying to get anyone to even *look* at it. I kept offering it around, but people just wouldn’t take it. They’d literally turn and walk away, wouldn’t even meet my gaze. Some would go way around us, like we were carrying something contagious or something!
People’s reluctance to engage with street-level advertising likely stems from changes in social behavior after the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the constant stream of ads online. It’s possible they just weren’t interested in video games in general, or specifically in a unique title like Death Stranding.
It’s also possible some people just knew who Hideo Kojima was and decided not to get into it with him! Back in 2013, he publicly called out critics who were upset about the design of Quiet from *Metal Gear Solid V*. She didn’t wear much beyond a bikini and some gear, and Kojima basically said that once people understood *why* she was dressed that way through the story, they’d regret what they said.
However, once you understand why she acted the way she did, you’ll regret what you said and did.
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) September 7, 2013
Whether people had changed their habits after COVID, weren’t interested in the game, or felt embarrassed by what had happened, Kojima managed to turn things around by simply mentioning the event on X (formerly Twitter). The post was so popular it quickly used up all of Kojima Productions’ tissues.
Kojima explained that while their approach felt old-fashioned in a modern world, combining it with digital technology actually made the experience more impactful. He connected this idea to the overarching themes of Death Stranding 2, though not directly.
Hideo Kojima is currently working on several exciting projects, including the horror game OD for Xbox and the stealth game Physint for PlayStation. He’s also enthusiastic about using artificial intelligence in game development, viewing it as a helpful tool rather than a threat.
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2025-10-16 19:41