Hideo Kojima has a vision for Death Stranding 3, but he won’t be the one to bring it to life. Dive into the details of how Death Stranding 2 could pave the way for multiple sequels and what lies ahead in Kojima’s creative journey.

Death Stranding 3 May Not Be Under Kojima’s Lead

Hideo Kojima, the director of Death Stranding 2 (DS2), has revealed that he has an idea for what Death Stranding 3 could be, but he won’t be executing it. In a recent interview with VGC on May 8, Kojima shared that a concept from DS2 could spawn numerous sequels for the game.

He highlighted the "Plate Gates," a feature to be introduced in DS2, which would enable the series to explore different countries and potentially generate endless sequels. Kojima stated, "If I use this Plate Gate concept, I could make endless sequels."

However, he quickly clarified that he has no plans to work on Death Stranding 3 himself. He added, "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 fans shouldn’t expect a Kojima-directed sequel anytime soon, but other developers might take the reins with his blessing.

The Pandemic Changed Death Stranding 2’s Theme

Kojima also reflected on how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the theme of DS2. The original Death Stranding was released in November 2019, just before global lockdowns began.

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."

As the pandemic unfolded, Kojima noted the parallels with the game's emphasis on the Chiral Network, likening it to the internet. He said, "We survived the pandemic because of the Internet and people were connected online."

Yet, he also pointed out that the internet now fosters division among people. He observed the shift towards the metaverse, where individuals increasingly interact through screens, diminishing real-life human connections.

Kojima stressed, "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 original concept for DS2 was already set, but the pandemic led Kojima to reconsider. He questioned, "Maybe it’s not such a good thing to connect so much," and this introspection is reflected in one of the game’s characters.

He hinted at the themes through the game’s logos, with the first game embodying "Let’s Connect," and the sequel suggesting "We should not have connected." Kojima concluded, "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 he may not lead the next installment in the Death Stranding series, Kojima is far from done with creating. In December 2023, he and filmmaker Jordan Peele announced their new game OD (formerly known as 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 partnering with PlayStation to develop a "next-generation action espionage game." During PlayStation’s State of Play in January 2024, he revealed this game will be a brand-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." The development of this game will commence after the completion of DS2.

While these projects are still on the horizon, fans won’t have to wait long for new content as Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is slated for release on June 26, 2025, on PlayStation 5. Stay tuned for more updates by checking out our Death Stranding 2: On The Beach article below!