Kojima says Death Stranding is "slightly" behind schedule

According to an interview with Japanese news site J-Wave (translated by Google), Hideo Kojima's mysterious game Death Stranding  is "slightly" behind schedule. Here's the full quote, which I've cleaned up a bit using my limited Japanese: 

Regarding the release date, Kojima says, "Many studios lag behind the planned release date." Death Stranding "is slightly out of the initial plan, but not much delayed," he said.

It's worth noting that we've yet to hear a proper release date for Death Stranding, and the release window we do have is broad enough to accommodate a minor delay. All we really know is Kojima said Death Stranding will be out before the Tokyo Olympics in the summer of 2020. (And yes, that Walmart Canada 'leak' for summer 2019 was debunked). So at the earliest, I reckon we'll see it in late 2019. At the very least, we should have a firm date by then.

It's not surprising to see Death Stranding pushed back a bit. Nevermind the fact that most big games are delayed at some point - Death Stranding is also Kojima Productions' first independent game, and it sounds like a doozy. It's got bizarre death mechanics, a baby who may or may not be connected to invisible death monsters, and an all-star cast which includes Norman Reedus, Guillermo Del Toro, Mads Mikkelsen, Lindsay Wagner, and Léa Seydoux. Whatever it is, when it finally gets here, it's sure to be something to see. 

Norman Reedus described Death Stranding as positive, scary, and depressing all at the same time

Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with 12DOVE since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.

Latest in Action
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Indy hanging onto a vine as in Raiders of the Lost Ark
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle PS5 release date reportedly set for April after ESRB leak
Death Stranding 2
Hideo Kojima says he'll "apologize beforehand" for Death Stranding 2 moments with Troy Baker's Higgs which are "so ridiculous" that "you'll probably throw the controller"
a titanium watch with grey and orange features on the arms and face
You can look like Solid Snake with this Death Stranding 2 watch, but it'll cost you over $1,500
Players in GTA Online running businesses and playing missions
GTA publisher is suing a GTA Online website that lets you buy hacked accounts, which "risks upending the GTA 5 player experience"
Death Stranding 2 trailer showing Sam shooting at an enemy
Hideo Kojima aims to beat the ‘walking simulator’ allegations as Death Stranding 2 releases combat-heavy trailer
Death Stranding 2
Hideo Kojima is still hung up on his ex, as Death Stranding 2 features a Metal Gear Solid doppelganger the director says is the spitting image of Solid Snake
Latest in News
Skyrim
It took Skyrim players nearly 15 years to discover ingenious loot hack that completely changes the game and, uh, requires you to desecrate a couple corpses
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Indy hanging onto a vine as in Raiders of the Lost Ark
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle PS5 release date reportedly set for April after ESRB leak
Fallout
Fallout season 2’s dazzling and dystopian New Vegas is coming to life in a new leaked video
an ai chatbot plays a modded verion of pokemon red and jumps down a ledge to talk to an npc
An AI's mission to 'teach' itself Pokemon Red is going as well as you think - after escaping Cerulean City after tens of hours, it went right on back
Anthony Mackie in Captain America: Brave New World
Brave New World box office crosses milestone for Captain America movies, even though it still might not break even
Diego Luna as Cassian Andor
The first three episodes of the best Star Wars show are now available to watch for free ahead of the Andor season 2 premiere