Summer Games Fest Just Gave You A Reason To Pick Up Death Stranding Again

Summer Games Fest is here, and gamers are excited to see what new announcements await. Last year, Hideo Kojima made an appearance to let the world know he is not, in fact, a prophet (sure, he's not). This year, he returned once again to have a quick conversation with Geoff Keighley. While the two mostly discussed the state of the pandemic in Tokyo, how it has affected the creative process, and what the future will look like for Kojima Productions, the "Metal Gear Solid" creator had one small surprise to unleash upon viewers: A teaser trailer for "Death Stranding: Director's Cut." And if you were on the fence about picking the game up again, this little preview just may change your mind.

The trailer begins with Sam Porter Bridges, the main character of "Death Stranding," cautiously entering through a door and carrying a huge backpack that will give you shoulder pain just looking at it. Viewers instantly get Solid Snake vibes as the camera pushes in on an area reminiscent of "MGS." This facility is teeming with guards, so what is Sam to do? 

Well, he considers borrowing a page from Snake's book and using a cardboard box to sneak his way past the grunts, but in a classic, self-aware Kojima move, he apparently realizes the absurdity of what he's doing and rejects the idea.

This fun little reference to "Metal Gear Solid" was enough to set viewer excitement ablaze. One user stated, "Here we go again, take my money already mr Kojima." Another wrote, "Release date Kojima? I want to give you my money ... NOW!" Clearly, this trailer did what it was supposed to do: it got gamers eager to grab "Death Stranding: Director's Cut." But beyond that, it opened the door to some speculation.

It's still a bit unclear what all will be included in this new version of "Death Stranding." Will the new release contain any added story content? And will there be sections of the game that play like "Metal Gear Solid," or was this just a joke on Kojima's part? 

One user had the pessimistic prediction that "this trailer is trying to make us think 'S*** there's going to be epic MGS style action now!' but it'll end up being just more walking but now you get to equip a box." Another had a somber theory that "the fact that he puts the box back on the shelf could symbolize Kojima saying goodbye to MGS."

Whatever the meaning is behind this brief clip, it's a nice nod for fans of Kojima's work.