Hideo Kojima has already conceptualized Death Stranding 3, but he won't be directing it. Dive into how Death Stranding 2 could pave the way for multiple sequels and what lies ahead for Kojima's creative journey.
Death Stranding 3 May Not Be Under Kojima's Lead
Hideo Kojima, the director behind Death Stranding 2 (DS2), has revealed that he has an idea for Death Stranding 3, but he won't be the one to bring it to life. In an interview with VGC on May 8, Kojima hinted that a concept from DS2 could lead to numerous sequels for the franchise.
He introduced the "Plate Gates" in DS2, which could allow the series to explore different countries and generate endless sequels. "If I use this Plate Gate concept, I could make endless sequels," Kojima stated. However, he quickly clarified that he has no intention of directing Death Stranding 3 himself. "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," he added. While fans may not see a Kojima-directed sequel soon, the door is open for other developers to continue the series with his blessing.
The Pandemic Changed Death Stranding 2's Theme
Kojima also shared how the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the theme of DS2. The original Death Stranding was released in November 2019, just before the world went into lockdown.
"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," Kojima explained.
The pandemic mirrored the game's theme of connectivity, with the Chiral Network paralleling the Internet's role in real life. "We survived the pandemic because of the Internet and people were connected online," Kojima noted. However, he also pointed out that the Internet has become a source of division, pushing people towards the metaverse and away from real human interactions.
"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," he emphasized.
The pandemic led Kojima to reconsider the theme of connectivity for DS2. Initially set on the idea of connectivity, he started questioning its benefits. "Maybe it’s not such a good thing to connect so much," he thought, and this shift is reflected in one of the game's characters. The strands in the game's logos hint at their themes; the first game's theme was "Let’s Connect," while the sequel's theme is "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
Even though Kojima won't lead the next Death Stranding game, he has other exciting projects lined up. In December 2023, alongside Jordan Peele, they unveiled their upcoming game OD (formerly Overdose) at The Game Awards 2023, 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," Kojima shared.
Additionally, Kojima is working 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. "I will celebrate the 40th anniversary of my game production career. I am confident that this title will be the culmination of my work," Kojima said. The development of this game will begin once DS2 is complete.
While these projects are still in the future, fans can look forward to the imminent release of Death Stranding 2. Kojima recently discussed the game's release date in light of other companies' reactions to GTA 6's delay.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is set to release on June 26, 2025, on PlayStation 5. For the latest updates on the game, be sure to check out our Death Stranding 2: On The Beach article below!
