Hideo Kojima isn’t a name one can easily ignore, especially in the gaming world. Point in fact, his name is a benchmark that determines if you are a poser or a bona fide gamer. That said, he is an auteur, and beyond the Metal Gear Solid IP, his work has been pretty avant-garde, with very few understanding his upcoming horror title, OD.
As a quick primer, OD was first announced during The 2023 Game Awards and made in collaboration with Jordan Peele, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind Get Out and Nope, and also the second half of the comedic duo Key & Peele. It involves a star-studded cast consisting of Sophia Lillis (It), Hunter Schafer (Euphoria), and the late Udo Kier (Flesh For Frankenstein).
However, for anything to even happen, Kojima would need a publisher, but none could wrap their head around this game. That was until the former head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, gave him and OD a chance.
What led to their decision was that a game such as OD brought about a realisation that the boundaries truly have not been touched. Taking up OD means allowing more opportunities for talent that may or may not revolutionise the gaming industry. To stay within the realm of comfort is to push away possibilities, which Xbox took matters into their own hands to avoid.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly for Xbox’s 25th Anniversary, Kojima asserts that he wanted to do something new and different, reflecting on the time when publishers called him “crazy, and that they really don’t understand the concept — that they will not be able to do it”. As mentioned, Xbox thought otherwise, with both Spencer and current CEO Sharma seeing its potential. However, neither Kojima nor Xbox has yet to reveal any details on the concept.
In other words, with the title alluding to overdosing on fear, Kojima teases about going “beyond the limit of the ‘scariness’ that other games had reached.” He refrains from saying too much about the mechanics or plot of the game, but we can only hope and anticipate that the game will turn out as great as his vision allows.
Ultimately, with Kojima working on another upcoming title, Physint, fans have plenty to look forward to. As a horror enthusiast myself, I am definitely keeping an eye out for OD’s release, whenever that may be.
(Sources: Entertainment Weekly, Eurogamer, Ssense)
Natrisha contributed to this article.
