Kojima’s Women

What happens when women become trophies?

Death Stranding, the long-awaited first game from Hideo Kojima after his split from Konami, is on its way. And with each new trailer, we see that Stranding will include the same crazy bullshit we’ve come to expect from a Kojima production: a script heavy with exposition, on-the-nose names and titles ripped straight from a twelve-year-old’s first sci-fi story, and a heavy dose of the supernatural. If nothing else, it looks to be a typical Hideo Kojima game.

But these trailers also provide a timely reminder that Death Stranding will face heavy scrutiny upon its release. Included in the release date reveal trailer is a scene in which a presumed antagonist licks Léa Seydoux’s face. Compared to what Kojima usually puts his women through, this is somewhat tame. However, it is a reminder of his long history of uncomfortable depictions of women in his narratives — his reliance on tired sexist tropes and an unapologetic implementation of women as visual rewards for his perceived male player base. And given Death Stranding’s stark resemblance to The Phantom Pain, there is a justified concern that it will be more of the same.

Gender disparity in context

The gaming landscape has always skewed male. In recent years, the number of women and men playing games has levelled…