In an unprecedented display of digital dissent, fans of Hideo Kojima's masterpiece Death Stranding 2 have launched what might be the gaming world's most peculiar protest campaign. Following the game's shocking shutout at The Game Awards 2025, devoted followers have taken to expressing their outrage in a manner so bizarre that only the mind of Kojima himself could appreciate it—by collectively urinating outside Geoff Keighley's virtual residence in the original Death Stranding game. The virtual golden shower has been flowing continuously since December 12, marking over ten days of uninterrupted protest that shows no signs of drying up anytime soon.
The Great Pee Rebellion of 2025
The protest began when Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dominated The Game Awards with a historic sweep, leaving presumed frontrunners like Death Stranding 2 completely empty-handed. Despite Death Stranding 2's monumental release just six months ago—a title that redefined narrative gaming with its mind-bending storyline and revolutionary gameplay mechanics—the judges apparently decided that Kojima's latest masterpiece wasn't worthy of a single golden trophy. OUTRAGEOUS!
The protest's origin can be traced to a Twitter user known as naven0m, who first decided to express their displeasure by directing their virtual character to urinate outside the bunker belonging to the "Ludens Fan" NPC—a digital representation of Geoff Keighley himself in the original Death Stranding world. What began as one player's act of defiance quickly cascaded into a movement, with countless others joining in to create what participants are proudly calling "the most peed-on spot in gaming history." 😂
A Friendship Strained?
The irony of this situation cannot be overstated. Keighley and Kojima have long shared a public friendship that transcends the typical industry relationship. Kojima's inclusion of Keighley as an NPC in Death Stranding was a testament to their bond—a digital immortalization of their professional camaraderie. Now, that very same digital representation has become the focal point of fans' frustration.
During The Game Awards 2025, viewers couldn't help but notice Kojima sitting in the audience, his expression unreadable as award after award went to Expedition 33. The legendary director, known for his theatrical appearances at previous ceremonies, wasn't given a moment in the spotlight. Not a single award acceptance speech. Not even his customary surprise announcement that typically sends the gaming world into a frenzy.
"The fans aren't just mad—they're absolutely FURIOUS!" exclaimed one gaming analyst. "They're turning the very game that Kojima created into a platform for protest. It's meta. It's bizarre. It's exactly the kind of thing that would happen in a Kojima game!"
Death Stranding 2: The Overlooked Masterpiece
Death Stranding 2 expanded upon its predecessor's revolutionary formula in ways that left critics speechless upon its mid-2025 release. The game continued the saga of Sam Porter Bridges in a world struggling to reconnect after the cataclysmic Death Stranding event. Players were treated to:
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🌟 A narrative so complex it spawned three separate university courses dedicated to unraveling its meanings
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🎮 Gameplay innovations that competitors are already rushing to copy
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🌍 An open world that responds to player actions with unprecedented detail
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🎵 A haunting soundtrack featuring collaborations with artists from across the globe
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👾 Mind-bending multiplayer features that redefine cooperative gameplay
Industry veterans had widely predicted that Death Stranding 2 would dominate The Game Awards 2025. Its technical achievements alone—the photorealistic environments, the emotional depth of its performances, the seamless integration of its multiplayer elements—seemed worthy of recognition. Yet, when the night concluded, Kojima's magnum opus had received nothing but passing camera glances.
The Wider Impact
The virtual protest has sparked broader conversations about award show politics and recognition in the gaming industry. Some analysts suggest that Expedition 33's sweep represents a shift toward rewarding new intellectual properties over sequels, regardless of quality. Others wonder if there's more to the story—perhaps behind-the-scenes tensions or industry politics that contributed to Death Stranding 2's snub.
"What we're witnessing is unprecedented," declared one gaming historian. "Never before have fans returned to a previous game to protest the treatment of its sequel. The symbolism is powerful—using Kojima's own created world to express disappointment about how his new creation was received."
The protest has evolved into something of a virtual tourist attraction. Players who had long ago completed the original Death Stranding are returning solely to add their contribution to the growing puddle outside Keighley's bunker. Some have even organized "pee-ins," coordinating times when dozens of players simultaneously visit the location to maximize the visual impact.
A New Form of Gamer Expression
This peculiar form of protest represents a fascinating evolution in how gamers express their collective disappointment. Rather than the typical routes of online petitions or negative reviews, these fans have chosen an in-game action that is:
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Symbolic (expressing their feelings about being "pissed off")
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Non-destructive (not harming other players' experiences)
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Persistent (creating a visual record of their protest)
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Community-building (bringing like-minded fans together)
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Attention-grabbing (generating media coverage like this very article)
Gaming culture experts are already predicting that this form of in-game protest could become more common. "The next time a beloved franchise gets snubbed at an awards show, don't be surprised if players find creative ways to express their disapproval within the game world itself," suggested one digital culture professor.
What's Next for Kojima and Keighley?
As the virtual puddle continues to grow outside Ludens Fan's bunker, questions remain about how this might affect the real-world relationship between Kojima and Keighley. Will Keighley address the protest? Will Kojima acknowledge it with his characteristic enigmatic humor? Could this even inspire an Easter egg in one of Kojima's upcoming projects?
Whatever happens next, one thing is certain: the fans have made their feelings crystal clear—or perhaps more accurately, yellow clear. In the strange, post-apocalyptic world of Death Stranding, they've found a way to make their voices heard through the universal language of virtual bodily functions.
The gaming world watches and waits to see if this peculiar protest will influence future award ceremonies, or if it will simply be remembered as that weird time when thousands of gamers collectively peed on a virtual Geoff Keighley to defend Hideo Kojima's honor.
And somewhere, one imagines, Kojima himself is watching—and perhaps smiling at the bizarre meta-narrative his fans have created within his own created world. After all, isn't that exactly the kind of strange, boundary-breaking storytelling he's known for?