Anyone expecting Hideo Kojima to take a breather after launching Death Stranding 2: On the Beach in 2025 has seriously underestimated the legendary game developer.
During an extensive interview with Nikkei Cross Trend, Kojima reflected on a decade of building Kojima Productions from scratch and revealed his ambitious vision for the next ten years. The conversation covered anime adaptations, espionage thrillers, and much more, but the spotlight belongs to OD, his mysterious horror collaboration that promises to redefine the genre entirely.
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The “Phase 2” of Hideo Kojima
A full decade has passed since Kojima parted ways with Konami, leaving behind everything except his reputation and industry connections. As he candidly admitted in the interview, “We had no office, no staff, no credibility, no money, absolutely nothing”.
Phase one was pure survival mode—getting Death Stranding completed and shipped. Now the studio has entered “Phase 2,” which transcends traditional game development. Kojima is pursuing total media expansion, including growing existing franchises, launching entirely new intellectual properties, and breaking into “new fields” of entertainment.
This strategic evolution sets the stage perfectly for OD.
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Death Stranding explored themes of human connection and isolation. OD, developed alongside Microsoft, appears designed to terrify players using emerging technologies that most of us cannot fully comprehend yet.
The Nikkei interview positioned OD among several major upcoming projects, but this one carries special significance. It aligns directly with what Kojima describes as “Phase 3″—building new IPs through “completely new entertainment systems.” This is not another jump-scare walking simulator; this is an attempt to revolutionize how audiences experience horror.
Meanwhile, PHYSINT remains in development as Kojima’s espionage action title for Sony, poised to become the spiritual successor that makes Metal Gear feel like a distant memory. Disney+ also has multiple Death Stranding animated adaptations in the pipeline. However, OD represents the bleeding edge of the studio’s ambitions. It transforms the network of relationships Kojima cultivated over the past decade into something genuinely terrifying.
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At 62 years old, most creative minds would consider retirement. Kojima instead draws inspiration from emerging talent and fresh perspectives. He noted that following the pandemic, the studio has hosted a constant stream of visitors, including acclaimed filmmakers like Oliver Laxé.
Kojima acknowledged that the pandemic set the studio back roughly three years, delaying their anticipated arrival at “Phase 3.” Yet the setback only intensified his determination. The vision remains unchanged; if anything, the pause has sharpened his creative hunger.
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The upcoming slate speaks for itself:
- OD: The cloud-powered Microsoft horror project destined to challenge everything players think they understand about interactive fear.
- PHYSINT: A return to espionage action through the Sony partnership.
- Death Stranding Isolations: An animated series arriving on Disney+ in 2027.
- Death Stranding Mosquito: An animated feature film with director Hiroshi Miyamoto at the helm.
Kojima constructed this creative empire on “connections” when resources were nonexistent. With ten years of proven success and a growing portfolio of new IP, he is prepared to push boundaries once again. If OD truly represents the “Phase 3” breakthrough he has been hinting at, audiences should brace themselves for something unprecedented.
Credit to Nikkei Cross Trend for the original interview.
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