Kojima Productions celebrates its big 10th anniversary with an upgraded Ludens

December 16, 2025, is a big milestone for Kojima Productions. It marks 10 years since Hideo Kojima left Konami and officially launched his own studio. Not long after that, Kojima signed a deal with Sony for the studio’s debut exclusive game, and we got our first look at the new logo and mascot – an early hint of the creative direction he was about to take with the Death Stranding series.

10 years of Ludens and counting

Ludens serves as the mascot, emblem, and philosophical backbone of Kojima Productions. On the surface, it’s the astronaut-like figure featured in the studio’s logo, with a design that blends a futuristic space suit and a medieval helmet.

At a deeper level, Ludens embodies Kojima’s vision for the studio, drawing inspiration from the concept of “Homo Ludens” – Latin for “Those who play.” It reflects the belief that play is a core part of human creativity, culture, and evolution. For Kojima, games go beyond simple entertainment and act as a medium for exploring ideas, emotions, and human connection.

A few months ago, Kojima shared that he was taking the studio’s brand beyond just games as part of Kojima Productions’ 10th-anniversary celebrations. This included a premium sake and a special Kojima-branded credit card made in partnership with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, complete with a rewards system that lets you trade spending points for exclusive Kojima Productions merch.

So if you’re in Japan, that card might actually come in handy, especially with new merch on the way. Kojima recently announced a new Sam Bridges “Tar Black” figure, along with the reveal of a new Ludens design.

While the first Death Stranding scored three wins at The Game Awards 2019, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach couldn’t quite compete with Expedition 33, which took home almost all the awards this year. It appears that Hideo Kojima is shifting focus away from the series for now, turning his attention to upcoming studio Physint and OD projects. However, the OD project may face delays following the passing of Udo Kier, who was involved with the game.

Source: Kojima Productions

Beyond the new games (or more like a new type of media that blends gaming and film, as Kojima himself described) there’s also a Death Stranding anime coming in 2027. Things are looking bright for Kojima Productions, and we can only hope for another 10 years of their unique and unforgettable gaming experiences.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

June 26, 2025

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• Hideo Kojima
• Kojima Productions
• Death Stranding (brand)