There’s another issue that makes Hideo Kojima‘s game, Death Stranding problematic worldwide.

So Death Stranding is full of cameos, and thus, known actors, TV hosts, or even game developers can be seen in our journey to the West of North America. One such cameo is Hirokazu Hamamura, a long-time editor of Famitsu, the most known Japanese video game magazine (he is now heading Enterbrain, the publisher of Famitsu). He’s one of the NPCs in the game who will we have to deliver to throughout the story. His name is Collector, and he collects retro game consoles.

ファミ通がデスストに満点を付ける
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ゲーム内にファミ通代表の浜村弘一が登場していると判明
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同様にゲーム内にPSPを絶賛するようなテキストが書かれる
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PSPは浜村を象徴するハード、過去には小島監督のメタルギアソリッドの広告を担当

これ業界ひっくり返る大事件なんじゃ#デスストでつながれ pic.twitter.com/cImLgmpIZs

— ゆーしゃ (@Dead_end_ran) November 10, 2019

In the tweet above, you can see Famitsu’s score of the game, too (40/40, which isn’t often; Death Stranding is only the 26th game in several decades to get a perfect score!), plus that you will have to deliver PSPs. The PlayStation Portable, which happened to have Hamamura featured in a marketing campaign. What a coincidence.

2ch, a Japanese website, plus Kotaku talks about how the subtitle, when you speak to him, says „(Since before Death Stranding went on sale), [it] will surely get in the Hall of Fame.” The text uses the Japanese characters dendou iri, which is what Famitsu uses when a game gets a high score. So… there could be some interesting relations between Famitsu/Enterbrain and Kojima Productions. Let’s just say… conflict of interest?

There’s also something more of unbelievable product placement. What does Sam drink when he needs power? Oh, a Monster energy drink, of course. That doesn’t heal you (what a lie) but refreshes you (until you crash) in real life, but in the game, it fills your stamina as well. (The fact that you make number 1 and number 2 grenades in the toilet are not annoying – it is unusual, but we don’t have a problem with that. That’s not some paid product placement.) There’s also another advertisement: if you have your bathroom door closed, you’ll see Ride With Norman Reedus on AMC. It is Norman Reedus’ (the actor of Sam „Porter” Bridges) motorcycle reality show…

So while Death Stranding blatantly throws Monster cans in your face internationally, in Japan, there COULD be a conflict of interest around Famitsu… (In 2008, Metal Gear Solid 4, in 2010, MGS Peace Walker, and 2015, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain also got perfect scores! Also, Hamamura showed up in Peace Walker as well before. Hmm…)

Source: VG247, Forbes

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