Hideo Kojima has already conceived an idea for Death Stranding 3, yet he has confirmed that he will not be involved in its development. Here's a detailed look at how Death Stranding 2 could pave the way for multiple sequels and what lies ahead for Kojima's future projects.

Death Stranding 3 May Not Be Under Kojima’s Lead

Hideo Kojima, the director of Death Stranding 2 (DS2), shared in an interview with VGC on May 8 that he has a concept ready for Death Stranding 3. However, he emphasized that he would not be the one to bring this idea to life. He pointed to the "Plate Gates" introduced in DS2, which enable the series to explore different countries and potentially spawn endless sequels. Kojima noted, "If I use this Plate Gate concept, I could make endless sequels." Despite having a clear vision for another sequel, he stated, "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 suggests that while fans may not see a Kojima-directed sequel anytime soon, other developers might carry forward his vision.

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. Released just before the world went into lockdown in November 2019, the original game's themes of connectivity and isolation resonated deeply with the real-world 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."

During the pandemic, the game's emphasis on the Chiral Network mirrored the real-world reliance on the Internet. Kojima observed, "We survived the pandemic because of the Internet and people were connected online." However, he also noted the divisive effects of the Internet, with the rise of the metaverse and a shift away from real human 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 lockdown experience led Kojima to reconsider his initial ideas for DS2. He pondered, "Maybe it’s not such a good thing to connect so much," and these reflections are reflected in one of the game's characters. The strands in the game's logos are thematic hints; the first game's logo symbolized "Let’s Connect," while DS2'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

While Kojima may not lead the next installment in the Death Stranding series, he remains busy with other exciting projects. In December 2023, alongside Jordan Peele, he unveiled OD (formerly Overdose) at The Game Awards 2023, a project developed 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 announced a "next-generation action espionage game" in collaboration with PlayStation during the State of Play in January 2024. This new original IP 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 game will commence once DS2 is completed.

Although these projects are still 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. For the latest updates on the game, be sure to check out our dedicated article on Death Stranding 2: On The Beach.