Death Stranding 3 won't be made by Hideo Kojima
As Death Stranding 2's release draws closer, Kojima has shared his vision for the future. He has concepts for the 3rd entry, but won't be the one to work on it.
A month and a half before the planned release of Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, game director Hideo Kojima has shared some news about the unannounced third entry in the series. In an interview with VideoGamesChronicle, Kojima explained that while he has a concept for Death Stranding 3, he doesn’t expect to be involved in creating it. Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is planned to launch exclusively on PlayStation 5 on June 26th, 2025.
Kojima is not going to make Death Stranding 3, but he will pass it on to someone else
Hideo Kojima has made a name for himself as one of the industry’s leading creative minds. He became known for creating the Metal Gear series in the late 80s and early 90s. Over the last ten years, after issues with Konami, Kojima founded his now independent studio Kojima Productions, which went on to put out the first Death Stranding game. Death Stranding 2 is near release now, but in the last few years, Kojima has also announced a mysterious new horror game, OD, in collaboration with horror film director Jordan Peele and Xbox Game Studios, and a potential spiritual successor to the Metal Gear series in partnership with PlayStation, Physint.
It’s certainly early to talk about the third Death Stranding game when the second one isn’t yet out. But, considering the full plate Kojima has in front of him right now, it’s not shocking that this is something he has thought about. Kojima has been in the industry for a long time and is now 61 years old. Considering the time it takes to make games on this scale, it could be another five years before Death Stranding 3 launches, and that’s if he weren’t also working on two other huge games. Plus, Kojima has spoken about his intent to get into creating films, including a Death Stranding adaptation.
In the interview with VGC, Kojima said, “…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.” It’s unclear who the reins would be passed on to. Surely, there are colleagues at Kojima Productions who have worked on both games in the series who would be able to keep the series going. But Kojima is a legendary face and name in video games; it is not a legacy that would be easy to live up to.
Kojima shared some of his vision for the series' future as well, saying, “If I use this Plate Gate concept, I could make endless sequels…” Plate Gates are a new introduction in Death Stranding 2 that allows the story to travel to various countries worldwide. The first Death Stranding took place in the U.S., but apparently the sequel will take place in Australia. Plate Gates could be the device by which future Death Stranding games turn into a globetrotting adventure. For now, we will have to wait to see what the future plans are for Kojima and his studio.
