Kojima Productions’ OD has fans eagerly awaiting its arrival, but back when it was just an idea, few were willing to back the project, as Hideo Kojima recently revealed. In a chat with Entertainment Weekly, the visionary director explained that numerous individuals, major corporations, and emerging businesses all declined to get involved with OD before Xbox Game Studios ultimately stepped up.
Kojima himself conceived the initial idea for OD while working on the first Death Stranding, meaning the horror game was in development before 2019. His ambition to create something fresh and innovative led to the creation of an entirely new game system, which will debut in OD.
Despite his vision, Kojima recalls receiving a consistent reaction to his pitch. “They told me I was crazy, and that they couldn’t grasp the concept — they said they wouldn’t be able to pull it off,” he shared.
OD eventually secured a publisher in Xbox Game Studios, thanks to the support of former CEO Phil Spencer and current CEO Asha Sharma — both of whom recognized Kojima’s creative goals. Sharma has described OD as a “deeply moving game” and expressed her commitment to giving it the space it needs to flourish.
In characteristic Kojima style, the director hinted that OD will push the boundaries of fear beyond what other games have achieved, aiming to make it as terrifying as possible. Interestingly, one of the game’s features allows players to continue even if the experience becomes too intense, though Kojima declined to provide details to preserve the surprise.
OD remains in active development.