Kojima Denies Making Death Stranding 3 Despite Its Existence

Death Stranding 3 May Not Be Under Kojima’s Lead

Death Stranding 2 Makes Way For "Endless Sequels"

Hideo Kojima, the director of Death Stranding 2 (DS2), has revealed that he already has a concept for what Death Stranding 3 could be, yet he has no plans to helm the project himself. During an interview with VGC on May 8, Kojima shared that a feature called "Plate Gates," set to be introduced in DS2, could pave the way for numerous sequels. This feature would allow the series to expand into different countries, thus creating the potential for "endless sequels." Kojima stated, "If I use this Plate Gate concept, I could make endless sequels." However, he 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 that while fans may not see a Kojima-directed sequel, the original creator's vision could still be carried forward by other developers.

The Pandemic Changed Death Stranding 2’s Theme

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly influenced the thematic direction of Death Stranding 2. Released just before the global lockdown in November 2019, the first game's core message was about connectivity. 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 onset of the pandemic, however, mirrored the game's narrative as it underscored the vital role of the Chiral Network, akin to the Internet in real life. Kojima noted, "We survived the pandemic because of the Internet and people were connected online." Yet, he also pointed out the paradox of connectivity, observing how the Internet, while connecting people, also fosters division and pushes society towards the metaverse, reducing face-to-face interactions. He remarked, "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."

This shift in perspective led Kojima to reconsider DS2's initial theme. He reflected, "‘Maybe it’s not such a good thing to connect so much," a sentiment that influenced the game's storyline. The strands in the game's logos reflect these themes: the first game's "Let’s Connect" versus DS2's "We should not have connected." Kojima hinted at deeper reflections on connectivity, stating, "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 stepping away from directing Death Stranding 3, Kojima is not slowing down. In December 2023, he and filmmaker Jordan Peele announced their new game, OD, at The Game Awards 2023, 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 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 expressed, "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 this game will commence once DS2 is completed.

While these projects are on the horizon, fans can look forward to the imminent release of Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, set for June 26, 2025, on PlayStation 5. For the latest updates on the game, be sure to check out our comprehensive article on Death Stranding 2: On The Beach.