The year 2026 has just begun, and Hideo Kojima — head of Kojima Productions and creator of Death Stranding — has used his social media channels to celebrate the new year and reveal his studio’s upcoming plans. Kojima explained that the next twelve months will represent a major step forward as the company moves into the “second phase” of its development.
Kojima’s Vision for the Second Phase of Kojima Productions
Kojima wrote: “Happy New Year. In 2026, we will move forward with the “Second Phase” that leads into KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS’ “Third Phase.” He also stated that he won’t be traveling much this year, preferring instead to focus on establishing solid foundations for his studio’s future projects. Additionally, he confirmed that production will continue on the Death Stranding live-action film.
He revealed that Kojima Productions will “continue development on the horror game “OD” and move forward with preparations for the espionage action title “PHYSINT.”
The studio is also preparing several “events” throughout the year. Details are still under wraps, but Kojima assured fans that more information will be shared once plans are finalized.
Notably, 2026 marks Kojima’s 40th year in the gaming industry, having started his career in 1986. He closed his message with a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who has supported him throughout his journey.
Kojima’s story serves as an inspiring reminder that passion often starts in unexpected ways — after all, he once admitted to being a poor student who spent most of his time at home playing on his NES. That same love for games helped him become one of the most creative game developers in the world.
In related news, Hideo Kojima has predicted that artificial intelligence will eventually be capable of handling the development of game remakes and sequels.
