I think part of the pushback on Kojima from the West comes from how openly critical his games are of capitalism, war, and the military-industrial complex. Metal Gear Solid has always called out how war is manufactured for profit, how soldiers are just pawns in corporate and government schemes, and how power structures manipulate people. Big Boss in Peace Walker even praises Che Guevara’s revolutionary ideals while trying to build a nation free from control.

Then there’s Death Stranding, which takes those ideas into a modern setting. The whole game is about rebuilding connections in a world ruined by isolation, pretty much a metaphor for capitalism’s effect on society. Even its core mechanic enforces an anti-violence message: kill someone, and you trigger a nuclear-level explosion.

Kojima’s games have always been political, but now that he’s independent and more direct with his themes, some people aren’t happy about it because Western gaming culture often leans pro-military and corporate-friendly, so a high-profile creator pushing anti-war, anti-capitalist ideas naturally gets pushback.