Hideo Kojima took Death Stranding to San Diego Comic Con to show off the game’s box art and gives few comments on what to expect from the genre-defying game, which Kojima himself has taken to calling a “Strand Game.” On PlayStation.Blog today, SIEA Global Brand Manager David Bull authored a post about Kojima’s panel and shared images of the newly revealed cover art for this highly anticipated and very mysterious game.
The official cover art for the standard edition of Death Stranding features main protagonist Sam Bridges, who is portrayed by The Walking Dead actor Norman Reedus. David Bull describes the game as Sam Bridges’s quest to “save mankind by reconnecting a fractured society.”
The SteelBook edition also features Reedus as Sam Bridges, but is far more gritty. It’s the same art that Kojima shared when talking about Death Stranding’s genre, but without the game’s tagline “Tomorrow is in your Hands.” The collectible SteelBook is included with the Death Stranding Special Edition and the Collector’s Edition, which will retail for $69.99 and $199.99 respectively.
Drive and Too Old to Die Young Director Nicolas Winding Refn joined Hideo Kojima at the San Diego Comic-Con panel, where they discussed narrative elements, their inspirations, and some anecdotes about developing Death Stranding. Refn will also appear in Death Stranding as a character named “Heartman.” Not much yet is known about what role Refn’s Heartman will play in Death Stranding, going along with all the other things about this game that no one really understands yet.
One interesting detail that was mentioned during the panel and shared by Game Informer is that Keanu Reeves was recommended to Hideo Kojima for major role in Death Stranding. Ultimately, Kojima decided to cast Mads Mikkelsen, who will portray the character “Cliff.” Not a lot is known about this character either except that he has “a good connection to the other side,” and may be a major antagonist in the narrative.
Death Stranding is releasing for the PlayStation 4 on November 8, 2019. Pre-orders for the Collector’s, Special, and Digital Deluxe editions of the game can be placed on PlayStation’s site.