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

Hideo Kojima has already conceptualized Death Stranding 3, yet he has no plans to work on it himself. Dive deeper to discover how Death Stranding 2 could pave the way for numerous sequels and what lies ahead in Kojima's creative journey.

Death Stranding 3 May Not Be Under Kojima’s Lead

Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind Death Stranding 2 (DS2), has shared that he has a clear vision for what could be Death Stranding 3, but he won't be the one to bring it to life. In a candid interview with VGC on May 8, Kojima elaborated on a game mechanic from DS2 that could spawn endless sequels.

He introduced the concept of "Plate Gates" in DS2, which would 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 firmly ruled out his direct involvement in a potential Death Stranding 3, 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 means that while fans might not see a Kojima-directed sequel soon, other developers could carry the torch 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 game's themes of connection and isolation became eerily prescient.

He explained, "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 focus on connectivity, with Kojima drawing parallels between the Chiral Network and the Internet. "We survived the pandemic because of the Internet and people were connected online," he noted. Yet, he also pointed out the divisive nature of the Internet, observing a shift towards the metaverse and less real-world interaction.

Kojima highlighted the unintended consequences of constant connectivity, 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."

The lockdown experience prompted Kojima to rethink DS2's narrative. He questioned the value of hyper-connectivity, saying, "Maybe it’s not such a good thing to connect so much," a sentiment reflected through one of the game's characters. The evolving strands in the game's logos symbolize these shifting themes—from "Let’s Connect" in the first game to "We should not have connected" in the sequel. Kojima hinted at deeper reflections on connectivity, concluding, "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 not leading the next installment in the Death Stranding series, Kojima has a slew of exciting projects on the horizon. In December 2023, he and Jordan Peele unveiled their 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 will collaborate with PlayStation on a "next-generation action espionage game." Announced during PlayStation’s State of Play in January 2024, this will be a new original IP. Reflecting on his career, Kojima said, "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 game will commence after DS2's completion.

While these future projects are still some time away, fans can look forward to Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, set to launch on June 26, 2025, on PlayStation 5. For the latest updates on the game, be sure to check out our detailed Death Stranding 2: On The Beach article below!