Tag: Death Stranding

The Midsommar studio is making Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding movie

Film studio A24, known for producing Midsommar and Everything Everywhere All At Once, is behind the upcoming Death Stranding movie

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”undefined” playlistId=”undefined” content=”PHNjcmlwdCBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vcGxheWVyLnBvcHRvay5jb20vYW55Y2xpcC13aWRnZXQvbHJlLXdpZGdldC9wcm9kL3YxL3NyYy9scmUuanMiIGRhdGEtYXI9IjE2OjkiIHB1Ym5hbWU9IjE5OTgiIHdpZGdldG5hbWU9IjAwMTZNMDAwMDJVMEIxa1FBRl9NODMzNSI+Cjwvc2NyaXB0Pg==”][/anyclip-media]

Film studio A24, known for producing Midsommar and Everything Everywhere All At Once, is behind the upcoming Death Stranding movie. The news comes over a year after Deadline reported that Barbarian producer Alex Lebovici would produce the film adaptation of Kojima’s open-world game with Hammerstone Studios.

Whether Hammerstone is involved in some capacity remains unknown.

A24 made the announcement in a very Kojima-like manner – with a shirt and a cryptic tease. The studio announced a T-shirt that featured Death Stranding’s distinct style and then said in a Twitter post that A24 was working on the film with Kojima. After fans picked up on that little blurb, the studio released a short, official statement.

“The film promises to delve into the mysteries surrounding the apocalyptic event called the Death Stranding, which blurred the lines between life and death, and brought forth nightmarish creatures into a world on the brink of collapse,” A24 said.

Death Stranding the game takes place after that cataclysm and follows Sam Porter Bridges as he delivers parcels across the shattered nation and builds bridges in the process. Yes, it’s more than a little on the nose, but in a game with a villain called Die Hardman, that’s not really surprising.

“A24 was born into this world about 10 years ago, their presence is singular within the industry, they are like no other,” Kojima said in a separate statement that IGN obtained. “The films they are delivering to the world are high in quality and very innovative. I have been attracted to their creations and they have even inspired my own work. Their innovative approach to storytelling aligns with what Kojima Productions has been doing for the last eight years. Now, we are making a Death Stranding movie together.”

“There are a lot of ‘game adaptation films’ out there, but what we are creating is not just a direct translation of the game,” Kojima continued. “The intention is that our audience will not only be fans of the games, but our film will be for anyone who loves cinema. We are creating a Death Stranding universe that has never been seen before, achievable only through the medium of film.”

Whether that means Kojima Productions envisions multiple Death Stranding adaptations or just one that ties into the game world – and Death Stranding 2 – remains to be seen.

A24 and Kojima Productions didn’t say when production begins or when they anticipate the Death Stranding movie to release.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

17 Epic Games Store summer sale deals you don’t want to miss

The Epic Games Store summer sale is underway, with discounts on hundreds of the best PC games in nearly every genre

The Epic Games Store summer sale is underway, with discounts on hundreds of the best PC games in nearly every genre. Whether you’re after big-name hits such as Death Stranding, open-world games like Far Cry 6, or indie gems including Disco Elysium, there’s almost certainly something for you in the Epic Games summer sale. You’ll even earn and extra 10 percent back in rewards when you buy something during the sale.

It lasts until Aug.3, 2023, so if you see something you like, now’s the time to get it if you can.

If you’re after console deals, check out our PlayStation summer sale roundup as well.

The Internet is abuzz after Hideo Kojima and Nicolas Cage met up

Nicolas Cage paid Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima a visit at Kojima Studios, and now the internet wonders if it’s a sign

Nicolas Cage paid Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima a visit at Kojima Studios, and now the internet wonders if it’s a sign. The visit comes just a few weeks after Behaviour Interactive announced Nicolas Cage will appear in the horror game Dead by Daylight as a new survivor in July 2023.

The visit could very well just be a random one with no hidden meanings. Perhaps Cage, after wading into the world of video games with Dead by Daylight, decided to explore a bit further. Or maybe Kojima is just a fan of Cage’s and invited the actor there for a meetup. 

However, Kojima also has a habit of cryptic announcements and vague teases. Death Stranding 2 already has a cast of well-known stars in it, including Elle Fanning, so Twitter and Reddit naturally jumped to the conclusion that Cage would be starring in the upcoming open-world game.

“Dead by Daylight and now this? Cage is keeping himself very busy,” one Twitter user said. 

“Nicolas Cage as “Eccentric Actor” for Death Stranding 2” Reddit user Areis1618 said in a thread full of comments wondering whether Cage would be a prepper in Death Stranding 2 – a loner living in one of the world’s isolated bunkers, trying to survive.

Like with most Kojima teases, it really could go either way. We know very little about Death Stranding 2 outside an admittedly vague trailer from The Game Awards 2022, and it didn’t make an appearance during Summer Game Fest. Whether Cage does has a role in it or just made a new friend, we’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

[mm-video type=video id=01fqpcc5fy4z69j31mar playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fqpcc5fy4z69j31mar/01fqpcc5fy4z69j31mar-5fd567aebf1e13ea394e4522425d1f3f.jpg]

Death Stranding is the next Epic Games free game

If you’re keen to check out Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding, you can get the open-world adventure as the latest Epic Games free game

If you’re keen to check out Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding, you can get it as the latest Epic Games free game. Unlike the last time Epic offered the open-world game for free, you have more than just a day to claim it. The offer lasts until May 25, 2023, and as always, the game will remain in your library permanently so long as you claim it before the promotion ends.

The version you get is the base Death Stranding, though if you want to upgrade to the Director’s Cut, you can do so for a discounted price. That price is even lower until June 15, 2023 – down to $4.99 from its usual $9.99.

The Director’s Cut adds a range of quality-of-life improvements, new combat options, and even a racing mini-game. There’s a fast new car you can make deliveries in and the option to build new structures to help make life a bit easier. Buddy bots help you manage cargo and can give you a lift, and you can replay boss fights and other encounters if you’re so inclined.

The upgrade also includes PC-specific features, such as support for widescreen monitors.

Death Stranding follows delivery man-slash-hero Sam Porter Bridges as he, well, builds bridges. His goal is connecting people in a big, broken world, saving them from their isolated states and fighting back against the shadows that stalk the wilds. It’s all very Kojima, and it was enough of a success to warrant a sequel starring Elle Fanning.

There’s no word on when to expect Death Stranding 2, but we may learn more about it during Summer Game Fest in June.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

[mm-video type=video id=01gzzt3q2z4eychm46mx playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gzzt3q2z4eychm46mx/01gzzt3q2z4eychm46mx-3d8725feb5780eacdfc0cde944893e81.jpg]

Hideo Kojima says he’ll become an AI after death

The Death Stranding maker says you can expect more Kojima games even after he dies, thanks to the power of AI

Hideo Kojima’s studio Kojima Productions just turned six years old, or more accurately, the registration for the studio just turned six, as Kojima couldn’t afford a studio and had few staff when he first launched his solo venture. The Death Stranding creator recently spoke with IGN to mark the production company’s anniversary and growth, and while Kojima is mainly concerned with his present projects, he’s given some thought to the studio’s future in 50 years or more, once he’s gone.

“I’ll keep leading so long as I’m around, and all that matters to me is that our roots when it comes to creation are kept intact,” he said “But you know, I’ll probably become an AI and stick around. You need to be stimulated in lots of different ways if you want to keep creating new things, so I imagine I’ll keep collaborating with others and taking in new things even if I’m an AI.”

Kojima said he gets bored easily, and even though he’s not interested in growing his studio to go public and attract potential investors, he’s always eager to investigate new technology and experiment with his craft.

“Part of why I’ve been able to make games for 30 years is because new technology replaces the old so quickly,” he said “The tech you use today may not be applicable tomorrow, and I’m interested in figuring out ways to incorporate the new.  

“Making the wrong choice can result in failure, of course. It’s a bit like a space program in that way. The project we’re working on with Microsoft is one I have been thinking about for five or six years already. “

Kojima naturally didn’t say what the Microsoft project would be, but meanwhile, we’ve got Death Stranding 2 in production and the Death Stranding movie adaptation underway, the latter of which Kojima said he’s keen to avoid making into a blockbuster, as he wants it to retain the franchise’s identity.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

[mm-video type=video id=01gbqjqzhhj17hpqyd11 playlist_id=none player_id=01evcfkb10bw5a3nky image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gbqjqzhhj17hpqyd11/01gbqjqzhhj17hpqyd11-11e839bb5d929d9877ee203d02f790f9.jpg]

[listicle id=1914475]

The Barbarian producer is making a Death Stranding movie with Kojima

The Death Stranding movie from Barbarian’s Alex Lebovici will be Hideo Kojima’s first film adaptation

Work on a Death Stranding movie from Hammerstone Studios and Kojima Productions is underway, Deadline announced in an exclusive report. The news comes just a week after Kojima Productions unveiled Death Stranding 2 at The Game Awards, the long-awaited sequel that continues Sam Bridges’ story and promises an expanded role for Fragile as well.

Hammerstone will finance the film, with Hideo Kojima and Hammerstone’s Alex Lebovici as the film’s producers.

“I couldn’t be more excited about this new partnership with Hammerstone Studios,” Kojima said in the Deadline report. “This is a pivotal moment for the franchise, and I’m really looking forward to collaborating with them in bringing Death Stranding  to the big screen.”

“We are thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to partner with brilliant and iconic Hideo Kojima on his first film adaptation,” Lebovici said. “Unlike other big-budget tentpole video game adaptations, this will be something far more intimate and grounded. Our goal is to redefine what a video game adaptation could be when you have creative and artistic freedom. This film will be an authentic ‘Hideo Kojima’ production.”

While the Death Stranding movie plot is still a closely guarded secret, Deadline says the movie will explore a different aspect of the game’s plot, which saw Bridges, played by The Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus, try and reconnect a broken, isolated world. Whether the game’s stars, including Reedus, Guillermo Del Tormo, and Margaret Qualley, will reprise their roles also remains uncertain.

If you’re a fan of video game adaptations, then this is the season for you. The Last of Us’ HBO adaptation airs in January, while Splinter Cell is now a radio drama, and Amazon is making TV shows out of Fallout and God of War in the coming months.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

[mm-video type=video id=01g4fxem14ajy9hk3fby playlist_id=none player_id=01evcfkb10bw5a3nky image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g4fxem14ajy9hk3fby/01g4fxem14ajy9hk3fby-9fae27a77eb25db2856a0e5796a87e28.jpg]

[listicle id=1914475]

Hideo Kojima finally reveals Death Stranding 2 at The Game Awards

After months of teasing, Kojima Productions announced Death Stranding 2 in a strange new trailer, though the sequel has no release date yet

Hideo Kojima and Kojima Productions revealed Death Stranding 2 during The Game Awards 2022, after months of teases and cast reveals, including the announcement that Elle Fanning would play a leading role. Death Stranding 2 doesn’t have a release date yet, and “Death Stranding 2” is probably a working title, so expect more teases and reveals in the coming months.

The trailer shows us an older Sam Porter Bridges, still portrayed by Norman Reedus, though the star of this show seems to be Fragile, Sam’s former ally and the head of the Fragile Express freight company.

She spends much of the trailer with what looks like a BB unit or perhaps a real baby, before the world gradually dissolves around her and a character who sounds like Troy Baker shows up playing the guitar, because of course he does.

While he was on stage after the reveal, Kojima said the trailer includes plenty of secrets and bits of foreshadowing, so if you’re keen on Death Stranding lore, it’s probably worth watching a few times to see what you can pick out.

He also said during the post-reveal Q&A that he rewrote the game during the Covid-19 pandemic in an attempt to avoid predicting the future again, a nod to the strange timeliness of the first Death Stranding and its themes of isolation that suddenly became relevant during lockdown.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

[mm-video type=video id=01ghxmrxe536tm6d9mqz playlist_id=none player_id=01evcfkb10bw5a3nky image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01ghxmrxe536tm6d9mqz/01ghxmrxe536tm6d9mqz-1dcc60980f3faf4878e1b90efbd3a147.jpg]

[listicle id=1991936]

Hideo Kojima says there was no Stadia Death Stranding sequel

Kojima responded to rumors about a Google Stadia-exclusive Death Stranding sequel by saying plans for such a game never existed

Shortly after Google announced it was shutting down Google Stadia’s servers, a report emerged that said Google vice president Phil Harrison canceled a Death Stranding sequel that Hideo Kojima wanted to make exclusively for Google’s cloud platform. However, in a recent episode of Kojima’s Brain Structure (first spotted by IGN), the Metal Gear creator told The Game Awards host Geoff Keighley that a Google Stadia Death Stranding sequel never existed, even in concept form.

“The rumor that Death Stranding, moreover a sequel, was in the works to be an exclusive title for Google is unfounded, and Phil Harrison ultimately rejecting that is quite impossible,” Kojima said. “I’ve never once said anything to Phil about wanting to create a Death Stranding sequel. I don’t know who pulled this information from where.”

The “where” is 9to5Google, a site that reports on all things, well, Google, whose editor said a source familiar with the matter told them in confidence that the project existed. And to be fair, the idea that the maker of a philosophical delivery service game starring a man carrying a fetus in a jar would envision its sequel on a new cloud platform isn’t that farfetched.

Meanwhile, Kojima revealed another actor set to star in his next, currently unnamed project. Shiori Kutsuna (Deadpool) will star alongside Elle Fanning in some capacity, whenever the game launches.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

[mm-video type=video id=01fqmjhj15avft2st527 playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fqmjhj15avft2st527/01fqmjhj15avft2st527-27aa1154ff4976d20adf76bbf98f9c16.jpg]

[listicle id=1357964]

Elle Fanning will (probably) star in Death Stranding 2

It looks increasingly likely that Hideo Kojima’s next game is Death Stranding 2, and Kojima Productions finally revealed one of its stars

The next Hideo Kojima game is more than likely Death Stranding 2 or some kind of Death Stranding spinoff, and Elle Fanning is starring in it – whatever it ends up being. For the past several weeks, Kojima teased his new project with a poster featuring the silhouette of a woman’s face and the words “Who Am I?” 

Some eager fans connected the dots and concluded the image referred to Elle Fanning, comparing Kojima’s enigmatic message with a poster from The Girl from Plainville. And it turns out they were right. Kojima Productions attended PAX Australia and brought a large QR code along. Visitors who scanned it wound up on a Kojima Productions website with a full reveal of the image.

As for what the game is, fans may not have quite so much deduction to figure this riddle out. A producer with Kojima Productions accidentally retweeted the poster reveal with a message expressing excitement for the project and the Death Stranding hashtag. They quickly deleted the tweet, though not before Gematsu and others captured it.

Death Stranding 2 is one of the worst-kept secrets in gaming at this point anyway. Norman Reedus, who voiced and did motion capture for the first Death Stranding’s protagonist, tweeted a not-so-subtle hint that Kojima was working on a sequel, a suggestion Kojima himself never denied.

Whether this is the same, single-player sequel Google canceled for Google Stadia remains to be seen.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

[mm-video type=video id=01fqpcc5fy4z69j31mar playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fqpcc5fy4z69j31mar/01fqpcc5fy4z69j31mar-5fd567aebf1e13ea394e4522425d1f3f.jpg]

[listicle id=1866981]

Google reportedly cancelled Stadia-exclusive Death Stranding sequel

Kojima’s single-player vision for Death Stranding 2 reportedly didn’t sit well with Google execs

Before 2021, Hideo Kojima had plans for a Death Stranding sequel and wanted the new action game specifically on Google Stadia, an unnamed source reportedly told 9to5Google. Where Death Stranding included some multiplayer elements, namely letting players see results from actions other people took in their games, the Metal Gear Solid developer wanted to create a single-player game for the sequel, with no multiplayer elements at all.

That was reportedly where the trouble started.

9to5’s source said Google’s vice president, Phil Harrison, believed there was no future for single-player games. Harrison and other executives wanted to prioritize new technology in Stadia’s Games & Entertainment department, including Stream Connect, which let players see their friends’ gameplay, and their focus was on building partnerships with developers who would create multiplayer games.

The report contrasts earlier speculations that Kojima was developing an episodic horror game for Stadia, which some assumed may have been connected to Konami’s classic Silent Hill series or could have been a new IP called Overdose.

Whether Kojima is still working on that is unknown, but Death Stranding 2 is definitely happening. In May 2022, the creator confirmed on Twitter that development is underway on the sequel. He said it only just began, though, so it will likely be a while yet before we see even a glimpse of the new project.

Whether Google may have changed its mind is irrelevant now. Google is shutting Stadia servers down in 2023.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

[mm-video type=video id=01ge77f55argfdt1kqeg playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01ge77f55argfdt1kqeg/01ge77f55argfdt1kqeg-17187a1a37fdf320c971f2391c5f8050.jpg]

[listicle id=1866981]