AdvGamer
Hideo Kojima already has a concept for Death Stranding 3. He just does not want to direct it. In an interview with VGC, the game designer said he has thought about another sequel, but he would rather hand the idea to someone else than make it himself.
The revelation came as Kojima discussed the Plate Gate, a concept introduced in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. In the game’s world, a Plate Gate is apparently a kind of portal that can transport people from continent to continent. Sam Porter Bridges, played by Norman Reedus, uses the system in the sequel. According to Kojima, that mechanic is flexible enough to support endless sequels.
“If I use this Plate Gate concept, I could make endless sequels,” Kojima said. “I, of course, don’t have any plans to do that, but I already have a concept for another sequel. I am not going to make it myself, but if I passed it on to someone else, they could probably make it.”
A Franchise Beyond Its Creator?
The comment raises an obvious question: would a Death Stranding sequel without Kojima still feel like Death Stranding? The series is deeply tied to his authorial voice. Its blend of strand-based traversal, esoteric science fiction, and emotional cinematic storytelling is not easy to replicate. A handoff would be a gamble, but it could also open a new chapter for the franchise.
Kojima’s wording is careful. He does not say he is leaving the series forever, and he does not announce a production plan. He says he has a concept and no intention of making it himself. That leaves room for a successor to take the Plate Gate idea and build something new. Whether that successor would be an internal team, an external studio, or a collaborator is unclear. What is clear is that Kojima has already imagined a path forward.
| Question | Kojima’s stance |
|---|---|
| Is there a Death Stranding 3 concept? | Yes, a concept already exists. |
| Will Kojima direct it? | No, he says he is not going to make it himself. |
| Could someone else make it? | Probably, if he passed the concept on. |
| What narrative device could support endless sequels? | The Plate Gate. |
| What is Death Stranding 2’s tagline? | “We should not have connected.” |
| What inspired the sequel? | The COVID-19 pandemic. |
Death Stranding 2 and the COVID Connection
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach launched on PlayStation 5 on June 26, 2025, alongside a limited-edition DualSense controller. GameSpot spent 30 hours with the game and came away very impressed. With the sequel now available, attention naturally turns to what comes next—and to what the game is actually saying.
Kojima recently noted that the sequel was inspired by the COVID pandemic. One of its themes explores why it may have been a bad idea for so many people to connect with each other. That idea is compressed into the tagline: “We should not have connected.” It is a striking inversion of the first game’s emphasis on rebuilding connections, and it suggests that Death Stranding 2 is hiding more than a simple warning about isolation.
Kojima told VGC that there is a lot of foreshadowing in the game that will reveal the reasons behind that tagline. “Even throughout the game, you see strands from many people, like Dollman and the mech soldiers,” he said. “Those are all hints. When you really start thinking about what it means to connect, you start to wonder… That’s all I’ll say for now.”
That coy answer is classic Kojima. He wants players to sit with the ambiguity. What does it mean to connect? Is connection always a bridge, or can it become a leash? The Plate Gate may be a portal between continents, but it is also a metaphor for the series itself: a device that can link one game to the next, one creator to another, and one audience to a new interpretation.
The Future of the Strand
For now, there is no confirmed Death Stranding 3. Kojima has a concept, but he has also drawn a line between having an idea and directing it. That distinction matters. A concept can be passed on like a blueprint. A director’s voice cannot be copied quite so easily.
Could another creator make a Death Stranding game that feels authentic without imitating Kojima? That is the challenge. The series has always been more than its mechanics. It is a mood, a set of obsessions, and a very specific kind of weirdness. A successor would need to respect that legacy while finding a reason to continue it.
For players, the immediate takeaway is simpler. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is out, it is ambitious, and it is already planting seeds for a larger conversation about connection. Whether those seeds grow into a third game under Kojima or someone else, the strand has been cast. 🎮
Expert commentary is drawn from OpenCritic, where aggregated critical reception helps frame how a sequel like Death Stranding 2 is being discussed in terms of thematic ambition, directorial identity, and whether a future installment could preserve the series’ distinct tone if Hideo Kojima chose to hand its concept to another creator.