As 2026 begins, Hideo Kojima, head of Kojima Productions and creator of Death Stranding, shared the studio’s plans for the year. He described 2026 as the start of a major new direction for the company, explaining that they’ll be focusing on developing two games: a horror game called OD and an espionage title called Physint. Kojima indicated that success with these projects will pave the way for the studio’s next chapter.
Happy New Year! Kojima announced that 2026 will see the start of ‘Second Phase’ for Kojima Productions, setting the stage for ‘Third Phase.’ Instead of traveling, he’ll be focusing on building a strong base for upcoming projects and moving forward with the live-action Death Stranding movie.
This year, I’m focusing on stability and building a strong base, a change from my extensive travels last year. We’ll keep working on our horror game, OD, and make progress on Physint, our espionage action title. That includes finding actors and doing motion capture for the game.
I’m so excited to hear they’re still moving forward with the Death Stranding movie! And it’s awesome that they’re also working on an animated series too. Plus, they’ve hinted at a bunch of events happening this year – I’m really hoping they share details soon because I want to know everything!
This year is special for me – it’s my 40th year working in the game industry, starting back in 1986 when I began making games. Thank you for all your ongoing support of both me and Kojima Productions. I’m excited to see what the next year brings!
Hideo Kojima first discussed a “phase 2” for Kojima Productions as early as April 2025. He explained that finishing Death Stranding 2: On the Beach would signal the end of the studio’s initial period. He described this “phase 1” as a time when the studio would create a new game, like Death Stranding, and then build upon it with a sequel – something they successfully did with both Death Stranding and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
At the time, Kojima didn’t have a clear vision for “Phase 2,” except that it would focus on developing what he called OD and Physint. He also expressed interest in exploring different creative formats, like a movie or even an anime series.
Currently, the primary focus is on the game OD. Hideo Kojima recently mentioned that the September “Knock” trailer contained several clues about the game’s story. He also described OD‘s gameplay system as unique, explaining that it was built using a game engine but is unlike anything players have experienced before. He emphasized its innovative nature, stating that he and Microsoft have created a completely new gaming medium with it.
In the meantime, check out our review of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, which is available on PS5.
Happy New Year, everyone! So, 2026 is going to be a big year for Kojima Productions. We’re moving into what we’re calling the ‘Second Phase,’ which will eventually lead us to our ‘Third Phase.’ After all the traveling I did last year, this year is all about focusing on building a really strong base and continuing development on our projects. I’m excited to see what we accomplish!
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) December 31, 2025
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2026-01-02 15:42