I never bothered Death Stranding and everything after MGS-3 has been very meh IMO. He didn't really want to make MGS 4 & 5.
MGS 3 itself while an excellent game overstays it welcome after you defeat "The End" IMO.
The games that he is well known for at this point are really 20+ years old.
To add on to what you're saying: he didn't really want to make MGS3 either. I believe he said in a Game Informer interview from 2001 that he wanted 2 to be the final chapter. I might be getting my source wrong.
I totally disagree. Death Stranding was groundbreaking in many ways.
He didn't really want to make MGS4 and MGS5 and then still made successful games. Death Stranding franchise is one of the "games that he is well known for" and it is most def not 20+ years old. Dont see your point.