⦿ Field Notes 3 // Death Stranding 2, agentic AI, and divisive design

Welcome back to Field Notes.

This past Monday, my friend and I descended several flights of stairs and found ourselves in a dark room filled to the brim with people. Spotlights above the stage roamed across the excited crowd. But this wasn’t a gig - it was a game launch.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I bought a ticket for Kojima Productions’ World Strand Tour - a series of global events to mark the release of Death Stranding 2. What could a live event to celebrate a game actually entail?

It turned out to be a fantastic evening, far surpassing my expectations. It featured fireside chats with game director Hideo Kojima and stars Norman Reedus and Léa Seydoux, and performances from Caroline Polachek and Chvrches.

More importantly, it achieved the “connection” that Kojima himself often speaks about, turning a predominantly solitary hobby into a shared event, both between fans and creators. Having experienced it first-hand, it’s a concept I’m a big fan of.

The link’s below, along with your regular notes from the broader internet.

This month on the blog

Things that left an impression

Field notes from the world of technology and design in the past month:

• Death Stranding 2 finally released. So far I’ve spent about 10 hours with Hideo Kojima’s latest epic, and it’s been absolutely stunning

• Nothing announced its Phone 3. The design has proven divisive, but I love it - it reminds me of the tactile Sony designs of the 80s and 90s

• Apple unveiled its new Liquid Glass UI design to widespread online dismay. To me, it looks like a step back in clarity and usability

That’s all for now - I’ll see you next month!