For all intents and purposes, Death Stranding 2 is already causing an online stir—little wonder considering the game is not even released yet! NikTek’s viral tweet featured a hilarious advert showing Subway Surfers-style gameplay clashing with Death Stranding 2’s walking sections—a retort suggesting that some gamers just cannot deal with the ordeal of slow walking. The tweet exploded into full-blown warfare, with parties debating whether walking simulators are boring or, on the contrary, brilliant.
Now, let’s address that. This is not actually in the game; NikTek himself has clarified it was just a meme edit. Yet that so many were either willing to believe or wish it was real says a lot about the feelings and common perceptions among players about Death Stranding’s infamous walking mechanics. Some even openly called it a “garbage walking simulator,” while others argue it was “masterfully” designed as a walking simulator where walking is anything but boring.
The comment section went haywire with various opinions flowing in; yoketom42 started with “The game is still a garbage walking simulator,” which added fuel to the fire wondering if he even played it. TheQuestBroski joined the hashtag and declared, “Managing the weight of the load, navigating harsh terrain… It’s the only walking sim that makes walking a part of the experience.” In some ways, I can say both sides have the right to a portion of the truth.
Following that, the humor kept coming. WierdKebab was chuckling and said, in reference to the Subway Surfers edit: “Why didn’t he take any coins?”; meanwhile, XTransHaterX told NikTek straight up, “U have ADHD get help.” Classic Twitter chaos. Idling along the sidelines, some players like Amandrix69 straight-up admitted they’d play Death Stranding 2 if it came with a Subway Surfers mini-game in the corner.
And that’s the thing: Death Stranding has always had this kind of splitting-the-audience vibe. Either you appreciate the meditative slow burn, or you think it’s just a glorified FedEx simulator. That joke going mainstream undoubtedly highlights how deeply held those views are. Some gamers want non-stop action; others really, really believe the pacing is intentional.
Hardcore fans think any kind of distraction in the game would “just defeat the whole point of the game.” AyDawgBlitler said, “People should have to sit through the game the same way. Stop holding players’ hands. Let them learn, adapt or suffer.” Pretty harsh, for sure. You gotta respect that kind of passion, though.
Others said: “Boring.” MrHawkTV said, “If I wanna only walk, I can do that outside.” Good point, but have you actually looked at some of the landscapes in Death Stranding? Kinda breathtaking.
In the end, debates like these are just signs of how divisive Hideo Kojima’s games can be. Some are into a more conventional action-oriented approach, and some are into the highly experimental style. Death Stranding 2 will be aka the next love-it-or-hate-it series, and honestly? It just adds to its charm.
So, in short, no Subway Surfers in Death Stranding 2. But people bickering over a walking mechanic? That’s really entertainment. Whether you’re Team Walking Sim or Team Instant Gratification, one thing is very clear: Death Stranding 2 will keep buzzing on the Internet.
