Hideo Kojima has revealed an intriguing concept for Death Stranding 3, yet he won't be at the helm of its development. Delve into the potential for multiple sequels from Death Stranding 2 and explore what lies ahead for Kojima's creative journey.
Death Stranding 3 May Not Be Under Kojima’s Lead
Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind Death Stranding 2 (DS2), has shared that he has a concept for a third installment in the series. However, he confirmed in an interview with VGC on May 8 that he will not be directing Death Stranding 3. Kojima highlighted the potential of the "Plate Gates" introduced in DS2, which could enable the series to expand into different countries, paving the way for "endless sequels."
He elaborated, "If I use this Plate Gate concept, I could make endless sequels." Despite this, Kojima firmly stated, "I, of course, don’t have any plans to do that, but I already have a concept for another sequel. I am not going to make it myself, but if I passed it on to someone else, they could probably make it." This means fans should not expect a Kojima-directed sequel soon, but the door remains open for other developers to take the reins with his blessing.
The Pandemic Changed Death Stranding 2’s Theme
Kojima also shared insights into how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the thematic direction of DS2. The original Death Stranding was released just before the global lockdown in November 2019, with its themes of connectivity reflecting the world's trajectory toward isolation.
Kojima explained, "The world was heading towards isolation and division, such as the UK leaving the EU. So I was saying, ‘Let’s connect. We’re headed for disaster if we don’t connect.’ That was the theme, story, and gameplay for Death Stranding."
The pandemic underscored the game's message about the importance of the Chiral Network, which Kojima likened to the real-world Internet. "We survived the pandemic because of the Internet and people were connected online," he noted. However, he also pointed out the downside of excessive connectivity, noting that the Internet now fosters division and a shift towards the metaverse, reducing genuine human interactions.
Kojima reflected, "Communication between human beings is not meant to be this way. You meet people by chance or see sights you didn’t expect to see. With the way we were headed, you would lose all of that."
The pandemic led Kojima to reconsider the theme of DS2, prompting him to think, "Maybe it’s not such a good thing to connect so much." This shift in perspective is reflected in one of the game's characters. The strands in the game's logos hint at their themes; the first game's logo symbolized "Let’s Connect," while DS2's suggests "We should not have connected." Kojima teased, "When you really start thinking about what it means to connect, you start to wonder… That’s all I’ll say for now."
More Projects To Come
While Kojima may not lead the next Death Stranding game, his creative output will continue to flourish. In December 2023, he and filmmaker Jordan Peele unveiled their new game, OD (formerly Overdose), at The Game Awards 2023, in collaboration with Microsoft Game Studios. Kojima shared, "The project we’re working on with Microsoft is one I have been thinking about for five or six years already. The project required infrastructure that was never needed before, so I discussed it with lots of different big companies and gave presentations, but they really seemed to think that I was mad."
Additionally, Kojima is set to work with PlayStation on a "next-generation action espionage game," announced during PlayStation’s State of Play in January 2024. This will be a brand-new original IP, marking a significant milestone as Kojima celebrates the 40th anniversary of his game production career. He stated, "I am confident that this title will be the culmination of my work." Development will commence once DS2 is completed.
Although these projects are on the horizon, fans won't have to wait long for new content from Kojima, as DS2 is slated for release. Recently, he discussed the game's release date in light of other companies' plans following the delay of GTA 6.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is scheduled to launch on June 26, 2025, exclusively for PlayStation 5. Stay updated with the latest news on the game by checking out our dedicated Death Stranding 2: On The Beach article below!
