13-year-old Decima engine allows Death Stranding team to 'accomplish many things that would be difficult to achieve elsewhere'
PC Gamer
by Issy van der Velde February 19, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The Death Stranding series owes much of its visual splendor and open-world scale to Guerilla Games' Decima engine, a 13-year-old tool that has proven remarkably effective for creating immersive gaming experiences. Kojima Productions CTO Akio Sakamoto highlighted the engine's advanced rendering capabilities, which allowed Death Stranding to achieve stunning visuals while maintaining stable performance. The collaboration between Guerilla and Kojima has been mutually beneficial, with both studios sharing improvements to Decima, fostering innovation in their respective projects.
Decima's ability to handle vast open-world environments is evident in games like Horizon Zero Dawn and Death Stranding, where intricate landscapes—such as snow-capped mountains and expansive desert formations—are rendered with impressive detail. Sakamoto noted that the final polygon count for On the Beach reached 25 million, yet the game maintained a smooth frame rate, showcasing Decima's efficiency. This level of technical achievement is a testament to the engine's enduring relevance in an era where many studios are turning to more mainstream engines like Unreal.
In contrast to other developers switching to established platforms like Unreal Engine, Kojima Productions has found success with its bespoke toolset. Sakamoto emphasized that while no engine is perfect for every project, Decima provides unique flexibility and capabilities that make it difficult to achieve the same results elsewhere. This commitment to a custom engine highlights the importance of tailored tools in game development, particularly for studios aiming to push creative boundaries.
For readers interested in gaming, this story underscores the value of collaboration and innovation in engine development. Decima's continued use by Kojima Productions not only demonstrates technical prowess but also challenges the notion that mainstream engines are always the best choice. As the gaming industry evolves, stories like these remind us that custom tools can still deliver extraordinary results, keeping the spirit of experimentation alive in game design.
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Originally published on PC Gamer on 2/19/2026