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

Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind the Death Stranding series, has an intriguing concept for a potential Death Stranding 3, yet he has confirmed he won't be the one to bring it to life. Delve into how Death Stranding 2 paves the way for future installments and explore what lies ahead for Kojima's creative journey.

Death Stranding 3 May Not Be Under Kojima’s Lead

Death Stranding 2 Makes Way For "Endless Sequels"

In an insightful interview with VGC on May 8, Hideo Kojima unveiled that while he has conceptualized what Death Stranding 3 could entail, he won't be steering the project. He highlighted a key feature from Death Stranding 2 (DS2), the "Plate Gates," which he believes could facilitate a series of sequels set in various countries, potentially leading to an infinite series. Kojima stated, "If I use this Plate Gate concept, I could make endless sequels." However, he made it clear that he has no intention of personally developing a third installment, 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." This leaves the door open for other developers to take the helm with Kojima's original ideas.

The Pandemic Changed Death Stranding 2’s Theme

The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly influenced the thematic direction of Death Stranding 2. Launched just before the world went into lockdown in November 2019, the original game's theme revolved around connectivity and the dangers of 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 mirrored the game's narrative, emphasizing the importance of the Chiral Network, which Kojima likened to the Internet. He noted, "We survived the pandemic because of the Internet and people were connected online." Yet, he observed a paradox where the same Internet fosters division. With the rise of the metaverse, he worries about the erosion of real human interaction, stating, "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."

Post-pandemic, Kojima reconsidered the original theme for DS2, questioning the benefits of excessive connectivity. He shared, "Maybe it’s not such a good thing to connect so much," a sentiment reflected in one of the game's characters. The strands in the logos of the games hint at their themes: the first game's "Let’s Connect" versus the sequel's "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

Although Kojima may not lead the next Death Stranding game, his creative ventures are far from over. In December 2023, he and Jordan Peele announced their collaboration on the game OD (formerly Overdose) at The Game Awards 2023, in partnership with Microsoft Game Studios. Kojima revealed, "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 original IP marks a significant milestone, as Kojima stated, "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 will commence once DS2 is completed.

While these projects are on the horizon, fans won't have to wait long for new content from Kojima, with Death Stranding 2: On The Beach scheduled for release on June 26, 2025, on PlayStation 5. Stay informed with the latest updates on Death Stranding 2: On The Beach by checking out our dedicated article below!