Kojima has confirmed that the mascot is called Ludens. Ludens is first referred to in a
russian 1987 novel about the coming of a superior race of beings called Ludens who experiment on humanity. The opening lines of the trailer are from William Blake's Auguries of Innocence which has a lot of meanings, but mostly that with time nature can restore itself even after the mistreatment of man, that human judgement will have dire consequences, and that there are multiple planes of existence. Finally going into the trailer, immediately the beached whales and dead wildlife directly links to the poem, showing the destruction of nature through humanity. The disappearance of the baby can also show the divine retribution of mankind by not being able to continue living on earth as mortals in order to allow nature to be reborn, as nature is all interconnected (see; the umbilical cords on mammals).
Going into Norman Reedus' character and the 5 beings, there is a definite religious allegory as well. Not only from the cross on his stomach but also to the positions the figures are taking, creating an homage to crucifixion. This can take on two tones. either that Norman is humanities only salvation; as a Jesus figure or; that he is a Christlike figure fallen from grace and must save humanity through the destruction of gods.
Going back to the Ludens theory, this can link greatly back to the religious themes as well. If the Ludens are seen as godlike figures, they could have been the ones who decided that humanity had gone too far and decided to destroy earth. now, Norman is also the character model for the Luden logo, so some are assuming that Norman himself is a Luden and has gone against his people. But I disagree because since he is wearing a handcuff I believe he is a human who has escaped some sort of testing facility the Ludens have made to either test on humanity or enslave them.
The 6 items around his neck are either keys or usbs of some kind, showing that he is a harbringer of knowledge and the key to humanities survival, though he is still not a completely pure being, as seen from the child turning to oil. There can also be a darker tone from the necklace, possibly symbolising 6 other children who had turned to oil, though they clearly do not die due to the prints still existing in the sand. Could it be that simply the corporeal forms of humanity cease to exist? This is a very valid claim when you look back to the auguries because of its hinting towards multiple planes of existence. Norman is chained to this one because he has not succumbed to humanities destruction of nature but at the same time is destined to be the one to break that cycle of humanity.
And the lyrics are the representation of Norman's character. He's going to take the Ludens head on, though he is destined to be the unknown hero of humanity. This as well as the theory of humanity being on another plane of existence than him is in the line 'seen but never heard, buried underground'. The humans can clearly see him in some way, from the way the footsteps on the sand follow him around, but there is no way to contact one another.
People have also found a tattoo on Norman's character. The idea of
Cetacean Stranding could also be where Kojima got the title of the game from. There are similarities between this phenomenon and what is shown in the trailer.
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