Kojima’s Next Masterpiece Beyond The Strand Explained

jamesschierer

Hideo Kojima has officially unveiled the next big project from Kojima Productions: Beyond The Strand. After the success of Death Stranding and decades of groundbreaking work on the Metal Gear Solid series, fans around the world have been waiting to see what Kojima would create next. In this video, we dive deep into everything we know so far about Beyond The Strand—its mysterious title, potential themes, and how it could push storytelling and gameplay in bold new directions.  From Kojima’s track record of blurring the lines between cinema and gaming to his reputation for innovation, Beyond The Strand already has the gaming community buzzing. Could this be his most ambitious project yet? We’ll explore the early details, speculate on possible gameplay mechanics, and look at what this might mean for the future of narrative-driven games.  Whether you’re a longtime fan of Metal Gear Solid, were captivated by Death Stranding, or are just curious about Kojima’s unique creative vision, this breakdown will give you everything you need to know about his next masterpiece in the making.  If you enjoy deep dives into upcoming games and want to stay updated on Beyond The Strand as more information comes out, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell.

Transcript

00:01Welcome back.

00:02Today we're breaking down Beyond the Strand, the massive 10th anniversary celebration from

00:07Kojima Productions.

00:09For 10 years, Hideo Kojima's independent studio has been shaping some of the most ambitious

00:14projects in gaming, from the original Death Stranding to this year's Death Stranding

00:192 on the beach.

00:20And now with Beyond the Strand, Kojima has made it clear the studio is no longer just

00:25about games.

00:27This event pulled back the curtain on horror, espionage, animation, augmented reality,

00:33and even unexpected cultural collaborations.

00:36What we saw wasn't just a look back at 10 years of innovation, it was a glimpse into the

00:40studio's bold next chapter.

00:43To understand why this event matters so much, we need to rewind.

00:47In 2015, after parting ways with Konami, Kojima announced the formation of Kojima Productions.

00:54It was a risky moment.

00:55He'd lost access to Metal Gear Solid, the same series that made him a household name,

01:01and he was stepping into uncharted waters with a brand new, independent studio.

01:06Within 4 years, he delivered Death Stranding.

01:09The game was divisive, sure.

01:10Some people called it a walking simulator, others hailed it as one of the boldest experiments

01:15in triple-A gaming.

01:17What can't be denied is the conversation it sparked.

01:21Kojima took themes of isolation and connection, wrapped them in haunting imagery and unconventional

01:26mechanics, and made something that felt deeply personal while still operating on a blockbuster

01:32scale.

01:33Then in June of 2025, Death Stranding 2 on the beach arrived, proving the first game wasn't

01:39a one-off.

01:40It cemented Death Stranding as a franchise and reminded the world that Kojima Productions had

01:46the creative and technical chops to stand alongside any studio in the industry.

01:51That brings us to Beyond the Strand.

01:55Held on September 23rd, 2025 at Toho Cinemas in Rappong Hills, Tokyo, the event was more

02:01than just an anniversary party.

02:03Kojima called it a Strand Gathering, framing it as a moment to celebrate not only the studio's

02:09survival, but also the connections it forged with fans around the world.

02:14And this wasn't just for those in the theater.

02:16IGN streamed it worldwide with full English support, underscoring how global Kojima's reach

02:22had become.

02:23Over two and a half hours, fans were treated to retrospectives, teasers of future projects,

02:28and glimpses at Kojima's larger vision for what he calls Phase 2 of Kojima Productions.

02:36One of the biggest talking points was OD Knock, Kojima's mysterious horror project.

02:42We've known for a while that Kojima wanted to revisit the horror genre after the

02:46cult success of PT, the infamous playable teaser for Solid Hills that never materialized.

02:52With OD, he seems to be delivering on that promise, and he's not doing it alone.

02:57The project is being developed in partnership with filmmaker Jordan Peele, the creative force

03:02behind Get Out, Us, and Nope.

03:05Peele's involvement immediately raises expectations for a horror experience that isn't just about

03:12jump scares, but about unsettling themes and psychological death.

03:16The teaser shown at Beyond the Strand emphasized photorealism, leveraging Unreal Engine 5 and

03:22Epic's metahuman technology to create disturbingly lifelike characters.

03:28The footage was sparse, deliberately cryptic, but the tone was unmistakably eerie.

03:33The mere fact that Kojima is returning to horror with a partner like Peele makes OD one of the

03:38most anticipated projects of the next several years.

03:44The next project Kojima highlighted was for Synth, described as an espionage thriller.

03:49For longtime fans, this felt like a spiritual callback to Kojima's Metal Gear roots.

03:56While details are thin, the confirmed chaos already signals ambition.

04:00Charles Frazier, an actress rising in the film world, joins forces with Madang Siok, internationally

04:07known as Don Lee from Train to Busan and Marvel's Eternals, as well as Manami Hanabi, a Japanese

04:14actress making waves in both drama and genre films.

04:18Kojima described this as something that would blur the line between cinema and video games

04:22even more than his past work.

04:25Considering how Metal Gear Solid was once criticized and praised for being too much like a movie,

04:30Basin feels like Kojima doubling down on his cinematic instincts.

04:36If that wasn't enough, we also learned about Death Stranding Mosquito, an animated film project

04:41set in the world of Death Stranding.

04:44Rather than retelling the games, this will be an original story designed to stand on its

04:48own.

04:49Hiroshi Miyamoto from ABC Animation will direct while the screenplay is being written by Aaron

04:55Gusekowski, best known for Prisoners and the series Raised by Wolves.

05:01Gusekowski's involvement suggests the story will lean into dense, thoughtful science fiction

05:06perfectly suited to Death Stranding's world.

05:09The fact that Kojima is trusting other creatives to expand the universe shows a willingness to

05:14let the franchise grow beyond his direct control, a sign that Death Stranding is evolving into

05:20something bigger than a single creator.

05:24There were also a few unexpected reveals.

05:27Kojima Productions announced a partnership with Niantic, the studio behind Pokemon Go,

05:32to develop an augmented reality project inspired by Death Stranding.

05:37While no gameplay was shown, the idea of turning Kojima's world of isolation and connection into

05:43a real-world AR experience is intriguing.

05:47Imagine a game where players physically walk and connect with others, echoing the mechanics

05:51of the original Death Stranding.

05:53It could be ambitious, or it could flop, but either way, it's classic Kojima pushing boundaries.

06:00And then there was the lighter side.

06:02In collaboration with Simuzu Seizoboro Shoten, Kojima unveiled Zaku Ludens, a sync themed around

06:10the studio's mascot.

06:12It might not be a game, but it reflects Kojima's ongoing desire to build culture, not just a game.

06:17During the event, Kojima also outlined the studio's long-term trajectory.

06:24He broke it into three phases.

06:26Phase 1, from 2015 to 2019, was about survival and foundation.

06:31Building a team, finding their voice, and releasing Death Stranding.

06:36Phase 2, which we're currently in, is about expansion.

06:39That means not only sequels like Death Stranding 2, but also branching into new genres with O.D.

06:45and Vincent.

06:46Exploring film and animation with Mosquito, and even experimenting with augmented reality.

06:52Phase 3, which Kojima hinted would begin around 2030, will be about creating entirely new IPs,

06:58and possibly embracing technologies and storytelling methods that don't even exist yet.

07:04Beyond the Strand was less about saying, we made it 10 years, and more about planting a

07:08flag for the next 10.

07:11So what does this all mean for fans?

07:13First, it means that Kojima Productions is now more than just a game studio.

07:17It's positioning itself as a multimedia powerhouse.

07:20We've seen studios attempt this before, but rarely with someone like Kojima at the helm,

07:25a creator who already treats games like films and films like games.

07:30Second, it means the Death Stranding universe is only just getting started.

07:35With an animated film, an AR project, and of course, on the beach expanding the lore, Kojima

07:40clearly sees Death Stranding as his foundation franchise.

07:45But at the same time, the announcements of O.D. and Vincent show he isn't interested in

07:49playing it safe.

07:51Fans of horror, espionage, and high-concept sci-fi all have something to look forward to.

07:58Looking ahead, the big question is timelines.

08:01When will we actually play O.D. Orphison?

08:04Kojima is known for long development cycles, and both projects seem to be in early stages.

08:09It's possible we won't see full gameplay until late 26 or even 2027.

08:15The animated film might arrive sooner given how far along the creative team seems to be.

08:19As for the Niantic project, that could land in beta as early as next year since AR development

08:26cycles are generally shorter than big budget games.

08:29There's also the lingering mystery of what Kojima's unannounced collaborations might be.

08:34Given his connections in both Hollywood and the tech world, don't be surprised if we see

08:38more partnerships announced over the next year.

08:42To wrap it up, Beyond the Strand was more than just a victory lap.

08:46There was a declaration that Kojima Productions is evolving into something much larger than

08:50a traditional studio.

08:52Horror, espionage, animation, AR, it's all on the table, and it's all driven by the

08:58same creative vision that made Metal Gear and Death Stranding unforgettable.

09:03Which announcement are you most excited about?

09:05Are you ready to dive into the horror of O.D., curious about the espionage represent, or eager

09:11to see Death Stranding reimagined through animation?

09:14Drop your thoughts in the comments below, and if you enjoyed this breakdown, make sure

09:18to hit like, subscribe, and ring that bell so you don't miss future updates as we follow

09:23each of these projects closely.

09:25Thanks for watching, and until next time, keep connecting, and keep reaching Beyond the Strand.

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