What Is Hideo Kojima’s Xbox Game, OD? Everything We Know About It and the “Knock” Trailer

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We’re finally getting a good look at OD, the new horror game from Hideo Kojima, and starting to understand what it’s about. Kojima is a hugely successful game creator who worked with Konami for many years, but they separated after Metal Gear Solid 5 following disagreements. He then created Death Stranding through a partnership with PlayStation, though he wasn’t directly employed by them. This independence allowed him to also work with Google Stadia and ultimately, Xbox.

In 2022, Hideo Kojima announced he was working with Xbox, and later, at the end of 2023, revealed the game’s title as *OD*. While simultaneously developing *Death Stranding 2*, *OD* appeared to be in the initial phases of production. However, it now seems to be taking precedence as Kojima’s main focus. Here’s a collection of everything known about *OD* so far.

What Is Hideo Kojima’s Xbox Horror Game, OD?

The story of Hideo Kojima’s horror game, OD, began in 2020. In May of that year, Kojima announced he was frustrated after a game project was cancelled. This cancellation happened shortly after the release of Death Stranding, and it wasn’t the planned sequel, Death Stranding 2. Kojima didn’t offer any further information at the time, only expressing his disappointment.

Back in February 2021, VGC reported that Google Stadia, Google’s now-closed cloud gaming service, was facing difficulties, leading to the cancellation of several projects. Among them was reportedly an episodic horror game being developed by Hideo Kojima, which Stadia’s general manager, Phil Harrison, turned down. Kojima apparently envisioned using cloud technology in innovative ways for the game, but specific details remain unknown.

So, back in the summer of 2022, Hideo Kojima dropped the news that he was working with Xbox on something new, but kept the details super vague. Immediately, everyone started guessing it might be that game he originally planned for Stadia. Xbox is a big player in cloud gaming, and Microsoft is always pushing new tech, so it made sense. A lot of us thought Xbox might just be a better platform for his vision – whatever *OD* is – because of all the cool stuff Microsoft has going on.

The earliest known glimpse of the game, originally called *Overdose*, appeared in the fall of 2022. A leaked screen recording showed someone playing a test version on their phone. The player controlled a character portrayed by Margaret Qualley, who previously collaborated with the game’s creator on *Death Stranding*. In the footage, the character investigates a creepy, deserted building, responding to sounds and unseen elements.

After a year of no news, Kojima finally confirmed that *OD* is his next game and announced Sophia Lillis, Hunter Schafer, and Udo Kier as part of the cast. While Natalie Qualley wasn’t mentioned, so she may no longer be involved. Kojima also shared that he’s collaborating with horror creator Jordan Peele on *OD*, similar to his previous partnership with Guillermo del Toro on the cancelled *Silent Hills* project.

After finishing *Death Stranding 2*, Hideo Kojima began working on *OD*, offering only small hints about the game over the past two years. He described *OD* as a challenging and unique project, unlike anything currently available. This sparked a lot of discussion about what Kojima was creating and whether it would depend on cloud technology. In June 2025, with *Death Stranding 2* released, Kojima shifted his attention to *OD* and began planning his next game for the PlayStation 6, tentatively titled *Physint*.

OD’s Knock Trailer Explained

Hideo Kojima’s game, OD, finally got its first trailer in September 2025, and it looks stunning thanks to the Unreal Engine 5. The trailer shows a very realistic world and features Lillis’ character in an apartment, setting up candles around what seems to be a small shrine. Flashes of text with hidden words appear on screen, reminding many players of the demo for the cancelled Silent Hills project, known as PT. While a full revival of Silent Hills seems improbable due to the ongoing strained relationship between Kojima and Konami, it’s possible he’s drawing inspiration from ideas he developed for that game.

Following the trailer, titled “Knock” – which is also the subtitle for the portion of the game Hideo Kojima is directing – it was revealed that Jordan Peele will direct a separate chapter with a different type of horror. Kojima explained his section centers around a woman haunted by a constant knocking sound, stemming from his personal fear of loud noises. This strongly indicates the game is the episodic horror project Kojima previously proposed to Stadia, with various directors each bringing their unique vision to the overall experience, *OD*.

Kojima also focused on realistically recreating environments in the game by scanning actual locations. He explained he wants to visit some of the world’s most frightening places and include them in the game. He even joked about scanning a real ghost and winning an award for it.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer has confirmed a close collaboration with Kojima Productions on their new game, *OD*. He hinted at exciting new approaches to both storytelling and gameplay. Spencer also expressed a desire to make *OD* accessible to everyone, on any platform. This suggests the game might be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox, or even mobile devices through cloud gaming technology.

Spencer described the initial reveal as a fantastic first look, hinting at something fresh and a little unsettling, but very much in line with Hideo Kojima’s style. He praised the game, OD, as being daring, original, and clearly the work of this particular studio – a real testament to their creativity. They’re fully committed to supporting the game’s development, providing technical expertise using Unreal Engine, both for the impressive visuals and the work happening behind the scenes. Their main focus is to help bring Kojima’s vision to life for players worldwide, and they’re excited for everyone to play it when it’s finished.

We don’t know exactly when *OD* will be released, but development appears to be progressing well now that Hideo Kojima has finished *Death Stranding 2*. We might get an update at The Game Awards in December, as Kojima often presents there. If not, we’ll likely have to wait until Summer Game Fest next year.

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2025-09-23 22:15