Kojima's OD: 'Love It Or Hate It' (And He Doesn't Care What You Think For A Decade)
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Hideo Kojima's latest game, *OD*, is set to be a polarizing experience – but he reckons its true value won't be known for decades, perfectly illustrating his uniquely long-game approach to interactive artistry and giving us all something to curiously anticipate (or dread).
Right, so you know that feeling when you accidentally cast a spell a bit too well, and now you’ve got a sentient teacup tap-dancing on the ceiling? That’s kind of the vibe Hideo Kojima consistently brings to game development, isn’t it? He just throws something out there, and you’re left scratching your head, wondering if it’s genius, madness, or perhaps a bit of both, brewing nicely in a digital cauldron.
Well, buckle up, mates, because his upcoming project, *OD*, sounds like it's going to be another one of those reality-bending concoctions. The word from the digital grapevine is that Kojima himself reckons *OD* will be like Marmite – you’ll either absolutely adore it or quite frankly, loathe the very sight of it. And here’s the kicker: he’s apparently perfectly fine with that. Bloody hell, talk about confidence!
Now, *OD* was first whispered about back in 2023, and true to Kojima form, he’s been about as forthcoming with details as a wizard guarding their secret spellbook. We know it’s tagged as an Xbox horror game, and there are some proper big names attached: Sophia Lillis, Hunter Schafer, and Udo Kier are all onboard. Plus, the visionary director Jordan Peele (you know, *Get Out*, *Nope*) is also getting involved. So, high-calibre talent, a horror bent, and the King of Cryptic himself at the helm. Intriguing, no?
But what *is* it, exactly? Kojima’s own description is delightfully vague, yet tantalising: it’s “a game and at the same time a movie and at the same time a new form of media.” Right. So, not just a game, not just a movie, but a whole *new* thing. My internal wizarding radar for buzzwords usually starts beeping like mad at phrases like “new form of media,” often a corporate cloak for something that’s… well, not *that* new. But with Kojima, you’ve got to give him the benefit of the doubt. He’s earned it by consistently blowing our collective minds. What bizarre alchemy is he cooking up this time? Is it an interactive film where your choices subtly shift the narrative in ways you don't even perceive? Or is it something so truly out there it makes *Death Stranding* look like a straightforward platformer?
The most fascinating bit, though, isn’t what *OD* is, but what Kojima thinks of its reception. In a recent chat with Ssense, he reiterated the “something totally different” and “love it or hate it” stance. But here’s the truly Kojima-esque twist: he doesn't really care about the immediate reactions on release day. You can tweet your joy, rage-quit on stream, or pen a 10,000-word essay on how it changed your life (or ruined your evening), but apparently, Kojima’s not going to lose sleep over it. Why? Because, according to the man himself, “The real evaluations come after – 10 or 20 years from now.”
Talk about playing the long game! Most studios are sweating over day-one sales, Metacritic scores, and quarterly reports. Kojima’s out here like, “Nah, check back with me in 2045 when the dust has settled and humanity has truly processed my artistic vision.” It’s an incredibly rare, almost ancient, artistic philosophy in a fast-paced, hyper-connected industry built on instant gratification. It’s also not a new attitude for him, mind. Earlier this year, after positive playtests for *Death Stranding 2*, he outright said he wasn’t “interested in appealing to the mass market.” And when you look at how the critical and public perception of the first *Death Stranding* has definitely warmed and evolved since its initial release, you can see he might just have a point. Perhaps *OD* will follow a similar trajectory, starting as a baffling oddity and slowly, over years, cementing itself as a misunderstood masterpiece. Or maybe it just stays baffling. That’s the fun of it, isn’t it?
It makes you wonder, doesn’t it? In an industry often criticised for playing it safe, for chasing trends and mimicking success, what does it mean to have someone like Kojima consistently push the boundaries, seemingly unfazed by immediate public opinion? Is it a luxury afforded only to a handful of true auteurs, or a blueprint for a healthier, more artistically daring future?
And it’s not just *OD* keeping him busy. The chap’s also got an action-espionage game, *Physint*, in the works with PlayStation. Apparently, this one was born from a pretty personal place – a period of sickness and surgery that made him ponder his own mortality, leading him to reassess his priorities. And what did he decide to do? Give the fans what they’d been screaming for: another *Metal Gear*-esque experience. You’ve gotta respect a creator who uses a brush with mortality to double down on what players truly want, even if he’s famously moved on from the *Metal Gear* saga itself (and nope, he won’t be playing Konami’s *MGS3* remake, just in case you were wondering).
He also recently dropped *Death Stranding 2: On the Beach* to wide acclaim, so it’s not like he’s just sitting around pontificating. The man’s putting in the work, even if his creative process occasionally feels like he’s communing with eldritch entities from another dimension.
So, what’s the takeaway here, beyond the fact that Kojima truly walks to the beat of his own drum? It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most interesting experiences aren’t the ones designed to please everyone, all the time. They’re the ones that challenge you, that make you think, and that perhaps only truly reveal their genius (or their glorious weirdness) years down the line. *OD* is shaping up to be one of those, and frankly, I can’t wait to see which side of the Marmite fence I land on. It’s going to be a ride, mate, no doubt about it.
Tags: Hideo Kojima, Gaming News, Experimental Games, Horror Games, Game Development
Original article: Eurogamer