Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind the Death Stranding series, has already conceptualized a potential third installment, but he has confirmed that he will not be directly involved in its development. Delve deeper into how Death Stranding 2 could pave the way for multiple sequels and what lies ahead in Kojima's creative journey.

Death Stranding 3 May Not Be Under Kojima’s Lead

In a revealing interview with VGC on May 8, Hideo Kojima, the director of Death Stranding 2 (DS2), shared that he has an idea for what Death Stranding 3 could entail. However, he firmly stated that he will not be leading the project. Kojima introduced the concept of "Plate Gates" in DS2, which would allow the series to explore different countries and potentially spawn "endless sequels." He remarked, "If I use this Plate Gate concept, I could make endless sequels."

Despite this exciting prospect, Kojima quickly dismissed any plans of personally working on Death Stranding 3. He noted, "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 leaves the door open for other developers to take the reins, potentially with Kojima's blessing.

The Pandemic Changed Death Stranding 2’s Theme

Kojima also discussed how the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the themes of DS2. The original Death Stranding was released in November 2019, just before the world entered lockdown. 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 mirrored the game's core message, emphasizing the importance of the Chiral Network, likened to the Internet. "We survived the pandemic because of the Internet and people were connected online," Kojima elaborated. However, he also highlighted the divisive nature of the Internet, noting how the trend towards the metaverse could lead to less genuine human interaction. He stressed, "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."

Kojima's initial vision for DS2 was altered post-pandemic, prompting him to reconsider the value of connectivity. He revealed, "Maybe it’s not such a good thing to connect so much," and this introspection 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 the sequel's suggests "We should not have connected." Kojima hinted, "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 stepping away from the helm of a potential Death Stranding 3, Kojima is not slowing down. In December 2023, he unveiled a new project titled OD (formerly Overdose) with comedian and filmmaker Jordan Peele at The Game Awards 2023. This game is being developed 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 teaming up with PlayStation for a "next-generation action espionage game." Announced during PlayStation’s State of Play in January 2024, this game will be a brand-new original IP. Kojima aims to celebrate his 40th anniversary in game development with this project, stating, "I will celebrate the 40th anniversary of my game production career. I am confident that this title will be the culmination of my work." Development will commence once DS2 is complete.

Although these future projects are on the horizon, fans can look forward to the imminent release of Death Stranding 2: On The Beach. Set to launch on June 26, 2025, exclusively on PlayStation 5, the game promises to deliver on Kojima's evolving vision. For the latest updates and insights, be sure to check out our comprehensive Death Stranding 2: On The Beach article.