Highlights

  • OD is an upcoming horror game by Kojima and Jordan Peele, and it could be even stranger than Death Stranding.
  • Unlike Death Stranding, OD is a self-proclaimed horror title, promising a very different type of experience.
  • OD's anticipated weirdness may be more accepted within the horror genre, as horror products are expected to get a bit strange, offering a better home for Kojima's bizarre ideas.

OD is an upcoming horror game developed by Kojima Productions and written by the creative minds of Hideo Kojima and horror film director Jordan Peele. While not much is known about it at the moment, according to Kojima, OD will be a "totally new style of game — or rather, a new form of media." In light of this, it's safe to say that OD will be about as strange as Kojima's last IP, Death Stranding. However, unlike Death Stranding, OD may actually be able to pull off its weirdness, assuming it is as bizarre as it is expected to be.

The main thing that separates OD from Death Stranding is that OD is a self-proclaimed horror title, whereas Death Stranding is just an outlandish action game with horror elements occasionally sprinkled in. Kojima is known for making odd games and even unashamedly embraces the habit when asked why he prefers it. Death Stranding pushes Kojima's signature to the point that it has proven to be one of the best examples of a polarizing game — players either love it or hate it — primarily due to its unconventional approach to storytelling and gameplay. Despite Death Stranding's divisiveness, Kojima’s trademark weirdness may find a better home in OD, all thanks to its genre.

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OD's Weirdness May Be More Accepted Than Death Stranding's

Death Stranding Is Unconventional on Multiple Fronts

Death Stranding technically belongs to the action genre, but its "action" moments are actually few and far between. For the most part, Death Stranding is more or less a delivery game, as it tasks players with connecting post-apocalyptic isolated American cities by making deliveries and connecting them to the Chiral Network. This is ultimately one of the main features that has divided gamers, with many even labeling it a glorified walking simulator. However, it is also a blatant testament to Kojima’s unconventional approach to gameplay and a clear representation of his signature weirdness.

Apart from Death Stranding's strange gameplay, its lore and visuals are among its most eccentric characteristics. Firstly, Death Stranding is so named for the cataclysmic event of the same name that has ravaged the world, accompanied by a unique rain-like weather phenomenon called Timefall that causes the rapid aging and deterioration of everything it touches.

Secondly, the protagonist, Sam, carries with him a BB (Bridge Baby), which is an actual newborn baby that was removed from the womb of a brain-dead mother. When Sam physically connects to his BB, he is able to sense nearby BTs (Beached Things), the otherwise imperceptible enemies scattered throughout Death Stranding's world. All of these elements have unequivocally contributed to Death Stranding's polarized reception, but also serve as major reasons why it has been so praised by the side that has received it.

OD's Anticipated Weirdness May Better Suit Its Genre

As a Kojima title, OD is almost guaranteed to be tremendously strange. In fact, OD's first trailer, which premiered at the 2023 Game Awards ceremony, has been deemed somehow "stranger than Death Stranding's." That being said, OD's horror identity may be a better home for Kojima's bizarre ideas, simply because products of the horror genre are often weird anyway. Unusual ideas and grotesque visuals are typically a necessary prerequisite for horror stories, which simultaneously means OD may not be as divisive as Death Stranding has been, especially with horror fans.

The release date for OD is currently unknown, so it's also unclear what stage of development it is in. Regardless, another weird title from Hideo Kojima is on its way, though it may prove to be less controversial than his last title, Death Stranding, due to its full embrace of the horror genre.