In the lead up to Hideo Kojima's latest game, the game director had often mentioned what he believed was the start of a new subgenre. Affectionately dubbed a "strand" game, much of Death Stranding's marketing was bolstered by what Kojima believed was an innovative new concept for games. Obviously, stating that a game is starting a new genre before it's even released is short-sighted, something Kojima addressed by immediately doubling down. Kojima had essentially stated that the full potential of an "action strand game" genre would not be met without a few sequels to present the scope of his new subgenre of video games.
Of course, that kind of discourse from a game developer should be taken with a grain of salt, even from an auteur-like figure such as Hideo Kojima. More importantly, it means that Kojima Productions is committed to continuing/expanding the Death Stranding IP further. Rather than potentially working on a new or different IP like the Silent Hill rumor from a few weeks ago, Kojima Productions' next project may be an entry in or surrounding Death Stranding. Either that, or it's another "strand" type game that's similar conceptually, but could be closer to a Metal Gear-style game.
Discussing What a "Strand Game" Is Exactly
Firstly, it's important to hone in on Kojima's comments about the next big videogame genre, the "strand" type of game. In a way, Kojima had stayed true to his word in creating a game that, at first, seemed genre-less or at bare minimum tough to distinguish. One of the biggest and most important questions prior to Death Stranding's gameplay reveal was: What is Death Stranding? Some had asked in jest, others were genuinely curious of Death Stranding. According to Hideo Kojima, a "strand game" involves the usage of social systems to emphasize and incorporate "the concept of connections" between all players, otherwise known as "strands."
That manifests in-game as the many community-fed systems of infrastructure around Death Stranding's world. Players can contribute supplies to survival caches, containers, roads, paths, and other important exploration tools for getting through the game's abstract, apocalyptic interpretation of the United States. Because the main premise of the game is re-connecting the isolated United States together after supernatural disaster, many of the gameplay concepts reflect that idea. Players are both encouraged and rewarded for placing objects in the world that aren't necessarily imperative for themselves, but could save lives for others, at least conceptually speaking.
In the Wake of Death Stranding, Is a Sequel Possible?
It's an interesting conceptual design that does genuinely make Death Stranding different from many singleplayer and survival-style games. However, Kojima's comments on the "strand game" genre mentioned sequels, some that may not necessarily be exactly like Death Stranding. In an interview with GameSpot, after being asked about the future of Death Stranding, he stated a new genre of games isn't defined by just one gameplay experience:
'The most difficult part is, when you create something new, you have to create a sequel and then a third version or it will not remain as a genre.'
Kojima then went on to mention that media reception for Death Stranding would presumably be mixed, with "pros and cons" of Death Stranding's approach to the "strand game" genre. Much of that was actually reflected in the Death Stranding's reviews, which were notoriously mixed from media outlets around the world. Regardless of how the "strand game" genre was realized in Death Stranding, Kojima ultimately believes in his vision of a "strand game" genre. A potential Death Stranding sequel could solidify that genre, assuming the developer has not been discouraged by Death Stranding's reception.
There is a high likelihood that Kojima Productions' next title truly is a Death Stranding sequel, or a new "strand game" of some kind. Kojima is not usually one to mince words, especially if it's a game he believes is shepherding in a new genre for the medium.
Theoretically speaking, there is some range in the ideas that Kojima implemented in Death Stranding. While Death Stranding's vehicle for introducing the "strand game" genre was mostly about delivery and movement, a true-to-core survival game could also lend itself well to the "strand" community concepts. Theoretically these kinds of elements could be implemented into a horror game as well, as team-based horror experiences like Phasmophobia or Dead by Daylight have proven to be very popular. It doesn't necessarily have to be a Death Stranding sequel, but Kojima's commitment to the "strand game" means there's more to come from Kojima Productions.
Kojima Productions' next game is in development.