Hideo Kojima, the renowned game director, has shared his motivation for including VTuber Usada Pekora in the recently launched Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. He expressed that his fondness for Pekora was the main reason behind her inclusion in the game. Initially, fans anticipated that Pekora might only appear as a brief cameo, but her role turned out to be more significant.
Usada Pekora is a well-known Japanese VTuber affiliated with Hololive Production, making her debut in 2019 as part of the third generation of Hololive. The announcement of her involvement in Death Stranding 2 was made in May when Kojima Productions revealed that she would appear as a Prepper NPC. Although the studio did not provide extensive details about how players would encounter her, they hinted at more celebrity cameos in the game.
Since its release on June 26, Death Stranding 2 has received positive acclaim for effectively building upon the strengths of its predecessor. During a recent interview, Kojima elaborated on his decision to include Pekora. He mentioned that after auditioning many potential cameos, he had to decline a large portion, ultimately stating, “If I like something, I will add it in [to the game].”
Kojima found Pekora’s gameplay amusing, which he viewed as a valid reason for her presence in the game. Interestingly, Usada Pekora’s role in Death Stranding 2 goes beyond a mere cameo; she plays a character integral to the game’s main quest. Players will encounter her during “Order 25: Deliver Piping Hot Pizza to the Data Scientist,” where they must deliver a pizza within a tight time frame.
Alongside Pekora, other notable cameos include celebrities like Conan O’Brien and Ma Dong-seok. After the game’s successful launch, Kojima expressed gratitude to fans for their positive feedback and acknowledged the challenges faced during development, noting moments when he felt the game might never reach completion. Following the release, Kojima Productions also issued a patch to resolve a crashing issue related to certain cargo deliveries, ensuring players enjoy a smooth experience in this eagerly anticipated sequel.