Hideo Kojima has confirmed that the real-world occupation that inspired the gameplay for Death Stranding, the Japanese bokka, will be getting a proper appearance in the upcoming Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Speaking on his radio show (translation via Genki), Kojima also revealed that one of the pre-order bonuses for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach will be an exo-skeleton dubbed the Bokka Skeleton.
For context, a bokka is a kind of courier in Japan that specialises in making deliveries to places that are otherwise difficult to reach. This includes places like remote huts in mountains. The equipment used to carry packages by Sam Porter Bridges in Death Stranding is based off a wooden framed used by a bokka, which is often used to carry supplies to be delivered.
As noted by Genki, the wooden frame used by a bokka is used to carry loads that tend to end up weighing more than 100 kg as they travel through their long and arduous delivery routes.
Kojima had previously stated that development on Death Stranding 2: On the Beach was going quite well. He revealed through his radio show earlier this month that work on the game was around “95 percent complete”. Referring to the development of the game as a 24-hour cycle, he compares the current progress of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach to being 10 pm (22:00 in a 24-hour clock), with 12am marking the end of development.
When it comes to progress on the game, Kojima revealed back in March that all of the work related to audio mixing and ADR for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach had been completed. In a social media post, Kojima thanked the team at Molinare in London, and celebrated wrapping up around 3 years work.
“Finished sound mixing with Molinare in London,” posted Kojima. “A total of about 3 years, including ADR. Thank you very much. A light toast with our sound team and the folks at Molinare.”
He has also previously revealed that, while Death Stranding 2: On the Beach will feature boss fights that challenge the player’s abilities, these fights can also be skipped. If a player wants to focus on the game’s narrative rather than take part in the boss fight, the player will get an option to “clear” the fight without having to worry about actually beating the boss.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is currently in development for PS5. The game is slated for release on January 26. Kojima Productions has also revealed details about the Digital Deluxe Edition of the game, which also gives buyers 48 hours of advanced access to the upcoming title. For more details on its $230 Collector’s Edition, check out the trailer revealing it from back in March. The Collector’s Edition includes a host of goodies, including a 15-inch Magellan Man statue, along with a 3-inch figure of Dollman, and a signed letter from Kojima.
In the meantime, the original Death Stranding has also been seeing a surge of popularity. The studio revealed back in March that more than 20 million players had played Death Stranding so far.