Hideo Kojima has shared new details about OD, his upcoming Xbox-backed horror game, saying it will feature a completely new game system designed to push horror beyond what players have experienced in previous titles.
Kojima has kept most of OD under wraps since its announcement, but he has now confirmed that the project is a single-player horror game built around an idea he first began developing while working on Death Stranding. The concept was reportedly difficult to pitch because several companies did not understand what he was trying to make.
According to Kojima, many major publishers and newer companies rejected the idea after hearing the pitch. He said they considered the project too unusual and did not believe it could be made. Microsoft was one of the few companies willing to support the concept.
OD is designed to go beyond normal horror game limits
Kojima says his goal with OD is to make a horror experience that goes further than the “scariness” found in other games.
The project is expected to remain a traditional single-player game, but it will reportedly include a system aimed at helping players continue even if the experience becomes too frightening.
That detail is especially interesting because horror games often rely on pressure, uncertainty, and difficult moments that make players want to stop playing. Kojima appears to be working on a way to keep that fear intact while giving players a method to move forward rather than abandoning the game completely.
He has not explained how the system works, and that secrecy is likely intentional. Revealing too much could spoil the central idea behind OD before players get to experience it themselves.
| Confirmed OD detail | What it suggests |
|---|---|
| Single-player horror game | A focused, personal horror experience |
| New game system | Gameplay built around an unusual central mechanic |
| Horror accessibility element | A way for players to continue through intense scenes |
| Long-running concept | Kojima has considered the idea since Death Stranding |
| Xbox backing | Microsoft is supporting the project’s experimental direction |
| Limited details | The core mechanic remains deliberately hidden |
Xbox was willing to support Kojima’s unusual idea
Kojima’s comments suggest that OD was not an easy project to secure. He reportedly presented the concept to several large companies, but many did not understand what he was proposing.
That is not surprising given Kojima’s history. His games often combine familiar genres with strange systems, unusual storytelling, and mechanics that are difficult to explain before people can play them.
Death Stranding is a good example. Before release, it was often described in confusing ways because its core gameplay loop did not fit neatly into one genre. The final game combined exploration, deliveries, online player cooperation, environmental threats, and narrative elements in a format that became much clearer once people played it.
OD may follow a similar path. The game’s concept could sound vague now because Kojima is protecting its central mechanic, but it may become more understandable once gameplay is shown.
Sophia Lillis, Hunter Schafer, and Udo Kier are part of the cast
OD has already confirmed a strong cast, including Sophia Lillis, Hunter Schafer, and the late Udo Kier.
Kier reportedly completed a full scan for the game before his death in November 2025. His role has not been revealed, but his involvement suggests Kojima Productions is building the game around detailed performances and realistic character presentation.
The first teaser footage has shown a disturbing, atmospheric setting with dark hallways, candles, strange shadows, and a sense of tension rather than direct action. That fits Kojima’s comments about creating an experience centred on fear and psychological pressure.
OD could become one of Xbox’s most unusual first-party projects
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has described OD as a deeply moving game and said it represents a different kind of project for the platform.
That may be one of the most important parts of OD’s development. Xbox has recently focused heavily on broad accessibility, large franchises, multiplayer games, and entertainment adaptations. OD stands apart because it is a highly experimental, creator-driven horror project with no obvious comparison inside Xbox’s current lineup.
The game still does not have a release date, detailed gameplay footage, or a full explanation of its central system. But Kojima’s latest comments suggest that OD is not aiming to be a standard horror game with familiar scares and predictable mechanics.
Whatever Kojima is building, he clearly wants players to experience it before they fully understand it.
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