Why has Kojima Productions remained loyal to the Decima engine for nearly a decade? The answer lies in a powerful partnership that’s redefining what’s possible in gaming visuals. AUTOMATON WEST sat down with Akio Sakamoto, Chief Technology Officer at Kojima Productions, to uncover the secrets behind Death Stranding 2: On the Beach’s breathtaking graphics and seamless performance. But here’s where it gets controversial: could Kojima’s reliance on Decima limit their creative freedom, or is it the key to their groundbreaking success? Let’s dive in.
A Match Made in Gaming Heaven
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, much like its predecessor, was built using Decima—a proprietary game engine crafted by Guerrilla Games, the minds behind Horizon: Zero Dawn. This engine has become the backbone of Kojima Productions’ visually stunning titles, pushing the boundaries of realism and performance. The sequel’s highly realistic 3D visuals and smooth gameplay have not only wowed players but also spotlighted Decima’s capabilities and the genius of the team at Kojima Productions.
Behind the Scenes with Akio Sakamoto
AUTOMATON recently interviewed Akio Sakamoto, the CTO at Kojima Productions, to explore why Decima remains their engine of choice. Sakamoto’s journey began at a major game company, where his expertise in graphics programming led him to contribute to an in-house engine. He joined Kojima Productions shortly after its founding and has been instrumental in shaping their technical vision ever since.
First Impressions and Evolution
When evaluating Decima, Sakamoto was impressed by its robust tools for open-world development. While some aspects were less intuitive than commercial engines, its runtime rendering analysis tools stood out. These tools provided a wealth of data without relying on external software, a feature Sakamoto found invaluable. Additionally, Decima’s development environment, designed for large, multidisciplinary teams, aligned perfectly with his vision. Over nearly ten years, Decima has proven itself irreplaceable, enabling achievements that would be challenging with other engines.
Crafting Iconic Scenes
One of Death Stranding 2’s most iconic scenes—the opening landscape inspired by Fonts Point in California—required meticulous attention to detail. Sakamoto’s team conducted extensive on-site research, gathering reference material to achieve maximum realism. The vast sandstone formations demanded large-scale geometry and lighting solutions. They prepared three types of terrain data, each optimized for different formations and levels of detail, dynamically switching between them based on viewing distance. The result? A staggering 25 million polygons that still maintained a stable frame rate, thanks to Decima’s rendering prowess.
Lighting was equally critical. The team validated their setup against real-world illuminance measurements, discovering that relying solely on GI and SSAO wasn’t enough for ambient light conditions. They introduced a mid- to long-distance occlusion map to enhance SkyLight behavior, significantly improving image quality. These refinements, combined with Decima’s strengths, brought the landscape to life with unparalleled beauty and fidelity.
Pushing Performance Limits
Death Stranding 2 features more extravagant moving objects than its predecessor, yet performance remains rock-solid—even during the early fireworks scene. Sakamoto revealed that the team expanded the particle system originally built for Death Stranding 1’s BTs to handle fireworks, inspired by Mexico’s ‘Day of the Dead’ celebrations. This specialization not only rendered the fireworks but also simplified experimentation with reflections, showcasing Decima’s flexibility.
Empowering Artists and Programmers
And this is the part most people miss: Decima isn’t just for programmers. Sakamoto envisions a future where artists can create shaders directly, democratizing the creative process. While the engine’s visual tools often steal the spotlight, Decima supports every aspect of development, from design to testing. Every team member, regardless of role, interacts with the engine in some capacity.
Collaboration and Innovation
Kojima Productions doesn’t just use Decima—they enhance it. When the engine lacks specific functionality, they modify it or develop new features, sharing these updates with Guerrilla Games. Regular meetings between the two studios ensure a continuous exchange of ideas. Sakamoto’s team even received a ‘Special Thanks’ credit in Horizon Forbidden West, a testament to their contributions. But does this collaboration stifle creativity, or does it foster innovation? That’s a debate for the comments.
Final Thoughts
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is now available on PS5, with the PC version launching on March 19, 2026, via Steam and the Epic Games Store. As we marvel at its achievements, one question remains: Is Decima the ultimate engine, or is there room for something more? Share your thoughts below—let’s spark a discussion!
