According to Eurogamer.net, Hideo Kojima, the creator behind Death Stranding and Metal Gear, has given a new interview about his mysterious Xbox-published horror game, OD. He stated he cannot yet explain “exactly” what the project is and admitted he doesn’t even know “if it will work out” in the end. The game, first announced in 2023, features actors Sophia Lillis and Hunter Schafer and involves filmmaker Jordan Peele. Kojima described OD as trying to change the service model “from the ground up” and called it “a game and at the same time a movie and at the same time a new form of media.” He also noted the recent trailer was packed with hints for fans to decipher.
Kojima’s High-Wire Act
Here’s the thing: when Kojima says he’s not sure if it will work, I think we should believe him. This isn’t just typical developer humility. He’s explicitly comparing it to Death Stranding, which he calls a “delivery game” that was novel in concept but still familiar in its systems. For OD, he’s talking about rebuilding the service model itself. That’s a massive, foundational shift. It’s not just a weird story or a new gameplay mechanic. He’s hinting at changing how we access it, pay for it, or experience it over time. That’s incredibly risky. And let’s be honest, the track record for “new forms of media” in gaming is littered with ambitious failures.
Decoding The Hype
So what are we actually looking at? The involvement of Jordan Peele and the “game and movie” line points heavily toward a blurring of cinematic and interactive elements. But we’ve seen that before. The real clue is in the “service model” comment. Is he building a persistent, evolving horror world? A subscription-based narrative? An experience that uses cloud tech in a way we haven’t seen? The trailer hints, he says. But Kojima is a master of curated mystery. Sometimes the puzzle of what it could be is more engaging than the final product. He’s already admitted he expects many people to hate OD at first. That tells you he’s prepared for it to be deeply alienating.
The Gamble For Xbox
Now, think about this from Microsoft’s perspective. They’re publishing this. They’re funding a legendary auteur to build something he can’t guarantee will function, on a platform desperate for exclusive prestige. It’s a huge bet. If it’s a brilliant, genre-defining hit, it’s a coup. If it’s a fascinating but commercially dead-on-arrival experiment, it’s still a statement piece. But if it’s just a confusing mess? That’s the real danger. Kojima has earned his carte blanche, but even genius has its limits. Can you build a “service model” for an experience nobody understands yet? Basically, he’s asking players and his publisher to take a monumental leap of faith into the dark. Let’s see if anyone jumps with him.
