It's important in life, I believe, to maintain a broad palette when it comes to culture and the arts. Hideo Kojima agrees, as he continues to use video games like Death Stranding to introduce people to music and other elements they might not otherwise discover.
In an interview with Vogue, he spoke about using his games as a platform for highlighting the artists he'd like people to explore further. "Take the band Low Roar from the previous game, for instance," Kojima explains. "When someone hears a song in the game and feels, 'Oh, I like this,' I want that spark to lead them to discover the band, to explore Icelandic music more deeply, or even to seek out related films."
Low Roar is a strong example, because there were likely many, many Death Stranding players who were unfamiliar with the post-rock, ambient, and electronica scenes in Iceland before playing. For acts that exist in such specific niches, that kind of exposure is incredible. Even if Low Roar is only known as the Death Stranding guy from now on, I doubt he'll have any complaints.
Kojima believes a substantial amount of the audience for games tends to be relatively insular in their tastes, and he wants to help push them toward artistic expressions they're otherwise overlooking. "I believe that is the role entertainment is meant to play," he muses. "Games have a tendency to remain closed systems that exist only within themselves, but I want players to step outside of that."
We need only look at the influence of the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series on millennial music tastes to see the potential here. The right playlist and musical artists used in the right way in the right game can make a huge impact on those playing. Hell, I still remember the band Cold because of that song they did for Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy.
Nu metal trips down memory lane aside, Kojima has the right idea, and you can feel it through his trailers and full releases. The question now is, who's getting the rub for OD?
