Kojima Confirms Death Stranding 3 Exists, But Won't Develop It

Hideo Kojima has a vision for Death Stranding 3, but he won't be the one to bring it to life. Dive deeper into how Death Stranding 2 could pave the way for numerous sequels and what the future holds for Kojima's creative endeavors.

Death Stranding 3 May Not Be Under Kojima’s Lead

Hideo Kojima, the director of Death Stranding 2 (DS2), has revealed that he has a concept for Death Stranding 3, but he won't be directing it. In a May 8 interview with VGC, Kojima shared that an element introduced in DS2, the "Plate Gates," could enable the series to explore different countries and potentially spawn endless sequels. He stated, "If I use this Plate Gate concept, I could make endless sequels." However, he quickly clarified that he has no intention of working on Death Stranding 3 himself, saying, "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." While fans may not see a Kojima-directed sequel, other developers might take up the mantle with his 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. Released just before the world went into lockdown in November 2019, the original Death Stranding focused on connectivity and combating isolation. Kojima reflected, "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 reinforced the game's message about the importance of the Chiral Network, which Kojima likened to the real-world Internet. He noted, "We survived the pandemic because of the Internet and people were connected online." Yet, he also acknowledged the Internet's role in fostering division, pointing out society's increasing reliance on the metaverse and diminishing real-life interactions. He stated, "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."

The pandemic led Kojima to reconsider the connectivity theme of DS2. He questioned whether excessive connection was beneficial, saying, "Maybe it’s not such a good thing to connect so much." 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 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

Despite stepping back from directing Death Stranding 3, Kojima is not slowing down. In December 2023, he and filmmaker Jordan Peele announced their new game, OD (formerly Overdose), at The Game Awards 2023, 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 will be a new original IP, and Kojima sees it as a culmination of his career, 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 begin 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. Stay updated with the latest on the game by checking out our Death Stranding 2: On The Beach article below!