Hideo Kojima made a name for himself in the gaming industry through intricate gameplay, Hollywood-style cutscenes, and a unique style of storytelling. The arrival of a new Kojima game is always a reason for celebration, partly because it means gamers will be treated to a slew of cryptic clues and trailers filled with hints. This was the case with Kojima’s last game,Death Stranding, which was revealed with an eccentric trailer featuring Norman Reedus.
Kojima is back to dropping cryptic hints, though it’s not entirely clear what he’s preparing to reveal. It could beDeath Stranding’s sequel, but there are a few other options available. As gamers try to piece Kojima’s clues together, they are also attempting to predict when he will finally reveal his next game.
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P.T. and Silent Hill
AfterSilent Hill: Downpourin 2012, Konami tapped Kojima to direct the nextSilent Hillgame. In typical Kojima fashion, he wasn’t prepared to do anything the conventional way. As marketing for the upcoming game, he set up a fake studio 7780s Studio, and gave it a fake website. The studio released a strange horror game calledP.T., which is short forPlayable Teaser. It has gamers going down recursive corridors and solving cryptic puzzles. If they manage to complete the game, they discover that it is merely meant to announce anewSilent Hillgame.
The planned game was meant to feature Norman Reedus as the protagonist, and filmmaker Guillermo del Toro was to work alongside Kojima. However, the game never saw the light of day. To this day,P.T.holds a special place in gamingas one of the most enigmatic horror titles. The surrounding mystique has only grown since Konami pulled the game from all storefronts, making it impossible to access it unless someone has it downloaded onto their console.
Kojima Hints at His Departure From Konami
One of the most notable moments in Kojima’s storied career is his departure from Konami, ending an over 30-year career. While it was a surprise to most gamers, Kojima hinted at it inMetal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes. TheDeja VuExtra Ops mission, which is exclusive to the PlayStation versions of the game, has players removing logos forMetal Geargames. As eagle-eyed fans have noticed, theMetal Geargames included are those that Kojima directed. After erasing all the logos, players receive the following message: “You might be able to erase the markings, but the memories will never disappear…” Kojima’s exit from Konami was rather unceremonious. His name was removed from the cover ofMetal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, and he was not permitted to go up to collect his prize at 2015’s The Game Awards. Fortunately, he has been able to continue his career in gaming independently, and he is still churning out games.
Kojima Continues to Drop Obscure Hints
Fans are aware that something is going on over at Kojima Productions, though Kojima is toying with his fans before he gives the big reveal. Throughout the latter half of the year, he has released images of actresses with questions on their faces such as “Who Am I?” and “Where Am I?”. The actresses include Elle Fanning andDeadpool 2’s Shiori Kutsuna. Kojima tends to make announcements at events hosted by his good friend Geoff Keighley. For this reason, fans have theorized that the announcement forKojima’s next game will come at The Game Awardson December 8.
As for the game being teased, some believe it’sDeath Stranding’s sequel, which Reedus has let slip is in production. Kojima Productions is also working on a game with Microsoft and a VR game, and the images could be linked to these projects. Whatever it is, it is certain to be another genre-defying adventure.
Death Strandingis available on PC, PS4, and PS5.
