Hideo Kojima clears up "misunderstanding" around Death Stranding 2, says cutscenes "are not pre-rendered, they're basically all in real-time" and that's been the case since Metal Gear Solid

(Image credit: Kojima Productions)

Death Stranding 2 is finally here, nearly six years after Hideo Kojima's first action-adventure gem released, and it's safe to say the sequel is just as visually impressive as the original.

That's due in part to the way Kojima creates his games' cutscenes. According to the director, they're all made in "real-time" rather than being pre-rendered. The horror mastermind reveals as much in a new online thread, in which he first discusses a later Death Stranding 2 cutscene that features characters Sam, Rainy, Fragile, and Tomorrow embracing outside mid-downpour – a moment that was apparently captured just as it appears in-game.

"The performance capture for this scene was done using a rough version of WOODKID's 'Rainy's Theme (STORY OF RAINY),' which was already completed at the time," writes the lead. "On set, we had the actors wear earphones and played the track so they could match their timing to it, making sure to hit this point right at the song's peak." The cutscene may vary slightly, however, depending on a player's in-game time of day.

People often think it’s a “cut scene,” so I think there’s some misunderstanding, but the cutscenes in my games (ever since MGS1) are not pre-rendered, they’re basically all in real-time. That’s why things like the player’s equipment, clothing, amount of cargo, dirt, weather, and… https://t.co/CYr6A0T1qIAugust 9, 2025

"The tricky part is that when you play the game, the time of day when the cutscene begins changes depending on the player, but personally, I think evening is the best time," Kojima admits. The director then clarifies the most important bit about the cutscene – and all of his past cutscenes since the original Metal Gear Solid in 1998, too, apparently: none of it was pre-rendered, but rather filmed with the actors in real-time.

"People often think it's a 'cut scene,' so I think there's some misunderstanding," he concludes, "but the cutscenes in my games (ever since MGS1) are not pre-rendered, they're basically all in real-time. That's why things like the player's equipment, clothing, amount of cargo, dirt, weather, and time of day are all reflected."

It certainly makes sense that someone as dedicated to the art as Kojima would go so far for immersion and realism, if you ask me.

It makes me all the more excited for his upcoming horror title OD, which he describes as "a bit risky" and "a game like no other," as it's sure to feature similarly impressive scenes.

Why not read through our Death Stranding 2 review to learn what we think of Kojima's latest gem? Alternatively, check out our rundown on the Death Stranding 2 ending if you've played it already yourself.

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After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

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