Hideo Kojima already has an idea for Death Stranding 3, but he will not work on it. Read on to learn more about how Death Stranding 2 could produce multiple sequels and what’s in store for Kojima’s future.
Death Stranding 3 May Not Be Under Kojima’s Lead
Death Stranding 2 (DS2) Director Hideo Kojima revealed that he already has an idea for what Death Stranding 3 may be, but won’t be the one executing it. In an interview with VGC on May 8, Kojima stated that a concept from DS2 could produce multiple sequels for the game.
He was referring to the "Plate Gates," which will be introduced in DS2, allowing the series to take place in different countries and possibly create endless sequels. Kojima explained, "If I use this Plate Gate concept, I could make endless sequels."
With that said, he also quickly shut down any idea of him working on a supposed Death Stranding 3. He added, "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." Unfortunately, fans may not be looking at a Kojima-helmed sequel to the series anytime soon, but other developers may have the original creator’s blessing if passed on.
The Pandemic Changed Death Stranding 2’s Theme
Kojima also discussed how DS2 changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first game was released in November 2019, just months before the world plunged into lockdown.
He stated, "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."
When the pandemic came, Kojima said that it mirrored what Death Stranding was about with how the game emphasized the importance of the Chiral Network, which he compared to the Internet in real life. "We survived the pandemic because of the Internet and people were connected online," he elaborated.
However, Kojima noted that the same Internet is now the cause of division for humanity. He mentioned how people are leaning towards the metaverse, only looking at screens and lessening actual human interactions.
Kojima emphasized, "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."
His idea for DS2 was already in place, but after witnessing and experiencing the pandemic, he wanted to rewrite the game. Kojima thought that "‘Maybe it’s not such a good thing to connect so much," and what he felt during the lockdown period can be seen through one of the game’s characters.
He said that the strands from the game’s logos are hints to their respective themes, with the first game having the concept of "Let’s Connect," while the sequel says "We should not have connected." Kojima stated, "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
Despite possibly not leading the next game in the series, Kojima will still create more things beyond Death Stranding. In December 2023, alongside comedian and filmmaker Jordan Peele, they unveiled their upcoming game OD (formerly known as Overdose) during The Game Awards 2023.
This project will be created in collaboration with Microsoft Game Studios. "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," he said.
Furthermore, Kojima will be working with PlayStation for a "next-generation action espionage game." During PlayStation’s State of Play in January 2024, he announced that this game will be a brand-new original IP.
The Metal Gear series creator looks to make a full-circle moment in this project, and said, "I will celebrate the 40th anniversary of my game production career. I am confident that this title will be the culmination of my work." The development of the game will start once DS2 is complete.
These upcoming projects are still far off, but fans will get something from Kojima soon as DS2 heads towards its release. Recently, he discussed the game’s release date following other companies’ reactions and plans due to GTA 6’s delay.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is set to release on June 26, 2025 on PlayStation 5. To stay up to date with the latest information about the game, check out our Death Stranding 2: On The Beach article below!
