Hideo Kojima Already Has an Idea for Death Stranding 3

Warning: This article contains small spoilers for Death Stranding 2The legendary video game director Hideo Kojima has confirmed he has an idea for a third entry in the Death Stranding franchise. The news comes as Kojima Productions is gearing up to release its second-ever game, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.

Following on from the original 2019 hit, Death Stranding 2 is due to be released on June 24. There are still a lot of questions surrounding the plot of Kojima’s next action-adventure game, but it will be set 11 months after the events of Death Stranding. Players will once again take the role of Sam Bridges, who has set up life in Mexico with his bridge-baby, Lou. With just over a month until the game is released, Kojima has been talking about the future of the Death Stranding series beyond Death Stranding 2.

Even though the second installment isn’t on the shelves, Kojima has big ideas for the Death Stranding franchise. In a recent Q&A, the legendary director spoke about the direction of a possible Death Stranding 3. Kojima stated that the new Plate Gate mechanic in Death Stranding 2 could be a key feature for opening up the franchise for sequels. The Plate Gates will be used in Death Stranding 2 to link up North America to Australia, enabling fast travel between continents. Speaking to VGC, it seems Kojima has been inspired by the possibilities of this new mechanic, saying, “If I use this Plate Gate concept, I could make endless sequels!”

The news of a third Death Stranding game could excite gamers, but Kojima is quick to temper expectations. The director confirms that while he does have a concept for Death Stranding 3, he has no plans to put this into action. If a threequel were to happen, Kojima has stated he would not return to direct the game. Instead, he would look to pass the series to another team to develop. Presumably, this is due to the game developer’s current slate of projects. Following Death Stranding 2, Kojima Productions will be focusing on OD, a mysterious game co-written with horror director Jordan Peele. The game was announced in 2023, but aside from a few concept images, very little is known.

It remains to be seen what will happen to the Death Stranding franchise after the release of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach in June. It looks as if Kojima will be moving on from the series regardless. After the mysterious OD, Kojima will look to return to his tactical espionage roots with Physint. This is a joint venture with PlayStation Studios and is set to release as both a video game and a feature film.