Hideo Kojima isn’t slowing down. Despite wrapping up Death Stranding 2: On the Beach in 2025, the legendary game director has his sights set on an ambitious decade ahead and it’s more expansive than anyone anticipated.
During an extensive conversation with Nikkei Cross Trend, Kojima revealed the trajectory of Kojima Productions over the past ten years while unveiling his bold vision for the future. From anime adaptations to espionage thrillers, the roadmap is packed. But the most intriguing piece? His experimental horror project, OD, which promises to redefine interactive entertainment as we know it.
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The “Phase 2” of Hideo Kojima
A decade has passed since Kojima’s departure from Konami a move that left him with nothing but his reputation and industry connections. Reflecting on those early days, he explained: “We had no office, no staff, no credibility, no money, absolutely nothing.”
Phase 1 centered on survival. The objective was simple: deliver Death Stranding and establish Kojima Productions as a legitimate independent studio. Mission accomplished.
Now, the studio operates firmly within “Phase 2” a period defined by expansion and diversification. Kojima isn’t just developing games anymore; he’s building a multimedia empire. This phase involves expanding established franchises, launching original intellectual properties, and breaking into entirely new creative territories.
Which brings us directly to ‘OD’.
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Death Stranding explored themes of human connection and isolation. OD, on the other hand, appears designed to terrify audiences using cutting-edge technology that’s barely been explored in gaming.
Developed in collaboration with Microsoft, ‘OD’ occupies a unique position in Kojima’s portfolio. While other projects follow more conventional paths, this horror experiment represents what Kojima describes as “Phase 3” the development of new IPs through “completely new entertainment systems.”
This isn’t your standard survival horror title. Kojima’s objective extends beyond creating atmospheric scares. He’s attempting to fundamentally transform how players experience fear in interactive media.
The studio is simultaneously working on PHYSINT, a Sony-backed espionage action game that could eclipse Metal Gear Solid in scope and ambition. Additionally, Death Stranding is expanding into animation through Disney+. However, ‘O D’ remains the studio’s most experimental venture the project where Kojima leverages every connection and collaboration from the past decade to craft something genuinely unprecedented in horror gaming.
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At 62, most creative directors would consider winding down their careers. Kojima? He’s energized by collaboration with younger talent and filmmakers.
Since the pandemic restrictions lifted, Kojima Productions has welcomed a steady stream of visitors, including film directors like Oliver Laxé. These interactions fuel Kojima’s creative process and inform his multimedia approach.
The pandemic significantly impacted the studio’s timeline, costing approximately three years of development progress. This setback delayed their advancement into “Phase 3.” However, the forced pause hasn’t diminished Kojima’s ambition if anything, it’s intensified his drive to execute on his vision.
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Kojima Productions’ upcoming slate is remarkably diverse:
OD: The Microsoft-partnered cloud-based horror experience that promises to push technological and creative boundaries.
PHYSINT: Sony’s espionage action game marking Kojima’s return to the stealth-action genre he pioneered.
Death Stranding Isolations: An animated series scheduled for Disney+ release in 2027.
Death Stranding Mosquito: An animated feature film helmed by director Hiroshi Miyamoto.
Kojima constructed this multimedia empire on relationships and collaboration when he had virtually nothing else. Now, backed by a decade of critical and commercial success, he’s positioned to take his most daring creative risks yet.
If OD truly represents the “Phase 3” evolution Kojima has been hinting at, the gaming industry should prepare for something completely outside conventional expectations. The next ten years of Kojima Productions won’t just be about games they’ll be about redefining what interactive entertainment can become.
Original interview courtesy of Nikkei Cross Trend.
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