Hideo Kojima’s Reason for Including Pekora – The game Death Stranding 2 On The Beach was launched on June 26, 2025, for the PS5 platform. This game marks the return of Sam Porter’s adventures as he strives to reconnect the bonds between people in a world that has fallen apart.
This game introduces numerous new elements from Hideo Kojima, including the storyline, gameplay features, and even guest appearances. Among these guests is the popular Virtual YouTuber from the Hololive agency, Usada Pekora. There is a specific reason why Kojima included Pekora in his new game. What is that reason?
Hideo Kojima’s Reason for Including Pekora in Death Stranding 2
In an interview celebrating the launch of the game Death Stranding 2 On The Beach, game creator Hideo Kojima participated and discussed various aspects of the game. He was even asked about the reason behind the inclusion of Virtual YouTuber Usada Pekora in the game, where she becomes a character who gives quests to Sam/the player.
Hideo Kojima shared that it all started when he watched Usada Pekora play Death Stranding for the first time during one of her livestreams. Kojima was surprised to find himself entertained by how the VTuber played his game. From this experience, Kojima understood why Pekora had gained popularity among Virtual YouTuber fans and even streamers.
Then, when asked about the origin of the idea to include Pekora in the game, Kojima responded simply. Hideo Kojima’s reason for including Pekora in Death Stranding 2 is that if he likes something, he will incorporate it into the game. This answer surprised many people, including Pekora herself.
Pekora’s Appearance in the Game Is Quite Significant from Kojima
It’s important for you to know that Pekora’s presence in DS2 On The Beach is not just as a character; Kojima has even included a Nousagi hat feature, which is closely associated with the image of this VTuber’s viewers or fans.
The hat can be acquired by the player and used on Sam, and its effects are quite amusing. When Sam wears the Nousagi hat, he will say iconic phrases from the VTuber Pekora, such as “Peko” and “OtsuPeko.”
In the same interview, Kojima revealed that Norman Reedus personally came up with the phrases “Peko” and “OtsuPeko” for the game. Initially, Kojima had considered implementing an idea where Sam would always say “Peko” whenever he wore the hat in the game.
Upon learning about his strange idea, many staff and employees mentioned that Sam, who constantly says “Peko,” was noisy and disruptive. Ultimately, Kojima decided to abandon this idea and reduced how often Sam says “Peko” in the game.
Although, Kojima mentioned that the Nousagi hat is actually popular among the staff at Kojima Productions. This implies that there are secretly Pekora fans within the Kojima Productions team.
You can watch the video clip below.
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