I saw a tweet this morning from a game industry sales analyst; he pointed out that Death Stranding "didn't even place Top 20 in its second month", and "was all the way down at number 8 on the PlayStation only chart..." I won't link him because he's not a check-marked person, making him not a 'public figure', making it against the rules technically to share his identity. Some commenters expressed that they think the "boring" gameplay is its tragic flaw and will keep it being a cult hit, while others said the polar opposite.
But, regardless, this has given me pause. Personally, I've known a few people who have surprisingly expressed interest in the game, people who I would not have expected based on their existing gaming interests. I feel like this bodes well for Death Stranding because it shows that it's an attractive idea, or at least the marketing has been effective, and it shows that "word of mouth" still works. Despite what the internet may reflect, a game with a more artistic bent appeals to more people than you'd think. As for me, I have told people that I find it fascinating, and it's definitely a unique game, albeit it is a slower and more quiet kind of fun compared to other more action-packed games.
I don't believe that Death Stranding will fade into obscurity, it already has a notable and devoted following with lots of fan art, cosplay, fan accounts, all that good stuff. And nothing starring Norman Reedus and Mads Mikkelsen will ever be "obscure" in the true sense of the word, let's be honest.
I'm only on Chapter 6 right now so let's keep this spoiler-free if we can, but I'm curious what the community here thinks about Death Stranding's future. Cult classic, or something more? Could Kojima actually make anything that isn't super popular, at this point? Could a game with such amazing production values ever truly be obscure?
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