Kojima Productions recently held an event dubbed the “Unity Ceremony” for their upcoming game Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. According to Kojima Productions’ official accounts and staff accounts on X, the party featured an interesting, traditional Japanese flavor.
On August 2, 2024, the Unity Ceremony took place at the Kojima Productions headquarters in Tokyo. A central element of the event was a large, custom-made black Daruma doll with the golden letters DS2 on it. Daruma dolls are traditional Japanese lucky charms that symbolize perseverance and good luck. Initially, both eyes of the Daruma are white. The owner paints the left eye black while thinking of a goal or wish. When the goal is achieved, the right eye is filled in.
Hideo Kojima painted the left eye of the Daruma doll during the ceremony. The rest of the Kojima Productions staff also took part in the ritual, entrusting the doll with their personal wishes and goals. The right eye will presumably be filled in once Death Stranding 2 has been successfully completed. This ceremony is intended to motivate and unite the team to work together on the best possible realization of the game
Insights and anticipation for Death Stranding 2
The sequel to the game developed by Hideo Kojima will send Sam and his companions on a new journey to save humanity from extinction. In May, it was announced that filming for the game had been completed, further fueling fans’ anticipation
本日はDS2スタッフ全員で、これから過酷で楽しい山頂へ目指す士気を確認し合う “DS2団結会 “を行いました。津田さんも山頂を目指す同じ仲間として、少し参加していただきました。 pic.twitter.com/MWQPVqa6oe
– 小島秀夫 (@Kojima_Hideo) August 2, 2024
At the Unity Ceremony, Kojima Productions employees were presented with special badges featuring the Daruma motif. These badges are a symbol of the team’s cohesion and their common goal to make Death Stranding 2 an outstanding game. Many fans on X expressed their desire to own these badges as well. However, it is currently unclear whether they will be commercially available
Hideo Kojima himself shared impressions of the ceremony on his X account and thanked his team for their hard work and dedication. In atweethe said: “Today, all DS2 staff held a “DS2 unity meeting” to check their morale as they aim to climb to the top of a tough but fun mountain. “
Looking forward to the release
As it was recently announced, Death Stranding 2 is expected to be released for the PlayStation 5 in 2025. As there has been no new information about the game for some time, sharing this “Unity Ceremony” also serves as a successful PR move to fuel anticipation for the game. This trick seems to be working with the community
