Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Saros review
  • Arc Raiders
  • The Boys S5
  • Best turn-based RPGs
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
  • Delta Force giveaway
Don't miss these
Slay the Spire 2
Roguelike Games Slay the Spire 2 plummets to 66% positive lifetime Steam reviews after first major update
Hideo Kojima in a screenshot from the Xbox and Bethesda 2022 showcase.
Games Hideo Kojima's games have something other AAA titles don't, former PlayStation boss says
Death Stranding 2
Action Games Former Microsoft exec and Blizzard boss completes Death Stranding 2: "Hell of an experience"
Best Ps5 games
Games Best PS5 games: The 25 greatest PlayStation 5 games in 2026, ranked
Key art showing cliff with sword and shield in hand with supporting characters behind him and a lush world filled with ancient ruins behind him
Open World Games Crimson Desert Kliff mocap actor says "what it lacks in narrative it more than makes up for"
Mel staring head-on with one red eye in Hades 2
Hades After 300 hours, Hades 2 has me back under its spell with a console launch and secret new game mode
Crimson Desert
Open World Games Hundreds of hours in, many Crimson Desert players are finding out they've not actually been completing Sanctums properly
Death Stranding 2
Action Games Hideo Kojima would "rather have the player walk away impacted than entertained," Troy Baker says
Starfield ending explained
RPGs Todd Howard thinks the message behind Starfield's original New Game Plus "got lost on a lot of people"
Maruder leader Obin threatens to cut off one of the player's fingers with a big knife, in Tides of Tomorrow
Adventure Games Tides of Tomorrow is a watery, plastic apocalypse take on Fallout that's more about story choices than RPG numbers
Death Stranding 2
Action Games Hideo Kojima put Low Roar in the Death Stranding games because gamers need more culture
Crimson Desert
RPGs Crimson Desert review: "A game that's far better as a sandbox than as a story"
Death Stranding 2
Open World Games Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima is "not running out of ideas anytime soon," Higgs actor says
Macduff running from a monster during the upcoming PS5 game, Crimson Desert.
Open World Games Crimson Desert is "opposite" to most open-world games because the "magic kicks in" later, says Arkane Lyon boss
Sam Porter Bridges flexes for the camera in Death Stranding 2
Action Games Hideo Kojima flexes on NASA, shows Death Stranding 2 players traveled further than the Artemis 2 mission
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Action Games
  3. Death Stranding 2

Death Stranding 2 players beg for a "filter" to stop player structures killing the vibe, but others theorize it's all part of Hideo Kojima's master plan: "Should we have connected?"

News
By Scott McCrae published 11 July 2025

"Bravo Kojima"

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Death Stranding 2 PS5 screenshot of Sam walking across a desert hillside with boxing trailing behind him
(Image credit: Kojima Productions)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
6
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Death Stranding 2 is a game about connection, with mechanics set in place to allow you to indirectly message other players. But some say it's distracting from the beautiful environments.

Death Stranding 2 is arguably one of the best looking games ever made, as Kojima Productions has shown what the Decima engine is capable of. The environments are so well-made that some players are even confusing actual desert photographs for in-game screenshots. However, Death Stranding 2 also features asynchronous multiplayer elements, allowing you to place structures, tools, cargo and all manner of helpful items in the world for other porters to find.

Among these multiplayer elements are signs, which are used in that Dark Souls style where you can leave messages to players. These range from helpful messages warning players of incoming threats, ones that give the player certain buffs (which can be used to hinder players), and requests for aid. And while these are a useful tool, some argue that it's kind of killing the vibe.

Article continues below
You may like
  • Sam Porter Bridges flexes for the camera in Death Stranding 2 Death Stranding 2 dev says Hideo Kojima "wanted more people to enjoy" the sequel
  • Sam Porter Bridges flexes for the camera in Death Stranding 2 Hideo Kojima says a Hawaiian proverb led to the new Death Stranding 2 trailer, because of course
  • Death Stranding 2 Hideo Kojima put Low Roar in the Death Stranding games because gamers need more culture
For as cinematic as Kojima Productions strives to be, please allow us to filter this... from r/DeathStranding

One player takes to the Death Stranding subreddit, saying: "For as cinematic as Kojima Productions strives to be, please allow us to filter this…" Attached is a screenshot of tons of messages, structures and other popups that are crowding the screen, making it look like the average late-game MMO UI. It's so cluttered that you can't really make out the background, which is a shame since they're so good looking.

"Yeah it's a bit much. Not an issue when venturing into new territories though, so when I feel the urge for solitude, I make some story progress," another writes.

While you do have the ability to dismantle messages in Death Stranding 2, it's limited to one at a time, and there's no real filter option. However, the ability to filter out the other players' actions kind of goes against the whole point of the game, considering that connection is one of the main gimmicks.

Of course, one user is seeing this as a masterful gambit from director Hideo Kojima, as they suggest it could tie into the game's trailer tagline. "Adding all this clutter from other players so we'd ask 'Should we have connected?' Bravo Kojima."

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

While you're here, make sure to take a look at our Death Stranding 2 review, as well as our guide to Death Stranding 2's ending explained if you've already finished the game.

TOPICS
Hideo Kojima
CATEGORIES
PS5 Platforms PlayStation
Scott McCrae
Scott McCrae
Social Links Navigation
Contributor

Scott has been freelancing for over three years across a number of different gaming publications, first appearing on GamesRadar+ in 2024. He has also written for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, VG247, Play, TechRadar, and others. He's typically rambling about Metal Gear Solid, God Hand, or any other PS2-era titles that rarely (if ever) get sequels.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Sam Porter Bridges flexes for the camera in Death Stranding 2
Action Games Death Stranding 2 dev says Hideo Kojima "wanted more people to enjoy" the sequel
 
 
Sam Porter Bridges flexes for the camera in Death Stranding 2
Action Games Hideo Kojima says a Hawaiian proverb led to the new Death Stranding 2 trailer, because of course
 
 
Death Stranding 2
Action Games Hideo Kojima put Low Roar in the Death Stranding games because gamers need more culture
 
 
Death Stranding 2
Action Games Death Stranding 2 fans certain PC port coming after cryptic Hideo Kojima post: "Didn't have much time today for editing"
 
 
Death Stranding 2
Action Games Former Microsoft exec and Blizzard boss completes Death Stranding 2: "Hell of an experience"
 
 
Sam Porter Bridges flexes for the camera in Death Stranding 2
Action Games Hideo Kojima shares "pre‑COVID" look at Death Stranding 2, before it "was revised" to change Sam's business casual look
 
 
Latest in Action Games
Star Fox
Action Games The original Star Fox puppets were apparently destroyed by the Godzilla Minus One studio
 
 
Assassin's Creed screenshot of Altair walking through a crowded street
Assassin's Creed Assassin's Creed 1 remake could be next after Black Flag Resynced, leaker says
 
 
The Last of Us Part 2 screenshot shows two characters riding on horses across a snowy landscape.
The Last of Us The Last of Us Online was "the best multiplayer game" many Naughty Dog devs had "ever played," ex game director says
 
 
Two ships in a battle on the sea during the upcoming PS5 game, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
Assassin's Creed Assassin's Creed: Black Flag lead writer "wrote 2 new scenes" for Resynced
 
 
Abby in The Last of Us Part 2
The Last of Us The Last of Us Part 2's major death "was controversial internally too," says former Naughty Dog dev
 
 
In Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, protagonist Edward Kenway sits on a rooftop looking out over Havana
Assassin's Creed Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced parkour "builds on" improvements from Shadows and Valhalla
 
 
Latest in News
The Boys
Superhero Shows Soldier Boy never being an actual soldier may be a focal point in spin-off Vought Rising
 
 
Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon season 3
Fantasy Shows House of the Dragon season 3 trailer cleverly sets-up a major tragedy to come from George R.R. Martin's book
 
 
Hugh Jackman petting a sheep in new movie The Sheep Detectives
Comedy Movies Wolverine star Hugh Jackman breaks his Rotten Tomatoes record… with a talking sheep movie
 
 
Steam and Valve's Gabe Newell
Games 14 years ago, Valve boss Gabe Newell thought Steam would be replaced in "2 or 3 years"
 
 
Final Fantasy 14: Evercold
Final Fantasy Final Fantasy 14 Evercold promises to scrap the MMO's 2-minute meta and change jobs for the better
 
 
Qimir and Osha in The Acolyte
Star Wars TV Shows Star Wars fans double down on call to bring back canceled show after it briefly returns to Disney Plus' top 10
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Arc Raiders Shoring up Defenses
    1
    Shoring Up Defenses quest walkthrough for Arc Raiders
  2. 2
    Soldier Boy never being an actual soldier may be a focal point in upcoming spin-off Vought Rising, as The Boys fans spot clues hidden in the show's first look
  3. 3
    House of the Dragon season 3 trailer cleverly sets-up a major tragedy to come from George R.R. Martin's book
  4. 4
    The Battening Down quest in Arc Raiders is best completed in the wrong order, so don't repeat my mistake
  5. 5
    Wolverine star Hugh Jackman breaks his Rotten Tomatoes record… with a talking sheep movie

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...