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

Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind the Death Stranding series, has revealed an intriguing twist in the saga's future. While he has conceptualized what could be Death Stranding 3, Kojima has confirmed he won't be at the helm of its development. Dive deeper into how Death Stranding 2 might pave the way for numerous sequels and what lies ahead for Kojima's creative journey.

Death Stranding 2 Makes Way For "Endless Sequels"

In a revealing interview with VGC on May 8, Hideo Kojima discussed the potential for the Death Stranding universe to expand far beyond the upcoming sequel, Death Stranding 2 (DS2). He introduced the concept of "Plate Gates," a feature set to debut in DS2 that could enable the series to explore different countries and generate endless sequels. Kojima stated, "If I use this Plate Gate concept, I could make endless sequels."

Despite this promising avenue for expansion, Kojima was quick to clarify his stance on directly developing a third installment. He mentioned, "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 opens the door for other developers to take the reins, potentially with Kojima's guidance.

The Pandemic Changed Death Stranding 2’s Theme

The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the thematic direction of Death Stranding 2. Released just before the world entered lockdown in November 2019, the original game's theme of connectivity resonated deeply with the global situation. 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 underscored the importance of the Chiral Network, a concept in the game akin to the Internet. Kojima noted, "We survived the pandemic because of the Internet and people were connected online." However, he also observed a downside, as the Internet has become a source of division. He critiqued the growing reliance on the metaverse and screens, which he believes diminishes genuine human interaction.

Kojima's experience during the lockdown led him to reconsider the theme of connectivity for DS2. He pondered, "‘Maybe it’s not such a good thing to connect so much," and this introspection is reflected in one of the game's characters. The strands in the game's logos hint at these themes, with the first game advocating "Let’s Connect," while the sequel 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

Even as he steps back from directly leading the next Death Stranding game, Hideo Kojima is not slowing down. In December 2023, he and filmmaker Jordan Peele unveiled their new project, 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 set to collaborate with PlayStation on a "next-generation action espionage game," announced during PlayStation’s State of Play in January 2024. This new title will mark 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." Development on this new IP will commence once DS2 is completed.

While these exciting projects are on the horizon, fans won't have to wait long for more from Kojima, as Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is slated for release on June 26, 2025, on PlayStation 5. Stay tuned for more updates and insights into this eagerly anticipated sequel by checking out our comprehensive Death Stranding 2: On The Beach article below!