Hideo Kojima bemoans the stealth drop: it's “joy to live with a movie even before seeing it"
Dec. 2, 2023Hi-Fi Rush, Apex Legends, and Kojima’s own P.T. were all stealth dropped
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Hideo Kojimahas bemoaned the trend of shadow-dropping games and films (releasing them out of the blue), calling it a “joy to live with a movie even before seeing it.”
Recent shadow-dropped games include Metroid Prime: Remastered, the brilliant Hi-Fi Rush, and Apex Legends. I’m a fan of the stealth drop since there’s no time for misconceptions to grow around a project that’s maybe harder to wrap your head around - such as the rhythm-stylish-action-slasher Hi-Fi Rush.
When done well with a genuinely interesting game, the surprise release can also fuel conversation. Halo Infinite’s multiplayer and Apex Legends were both dropped without much warning, driving droves of fans, new and old, to share an experience en masse.
Hideo Kojima’s very ownP.T.- the playable teaser to his canceled Silent Hills project in collaboration with Guillermo Del Toro - was also released out of nowhere.Konami, Kojima, and Silent Hill weren’t even mentioned in the announcement video. That was information players found out upon finishing the demo, and watching the community untangle the game’s knotted secrets together was a rare delight.
Regardless, Kojima still has a valid point. He’s been loud about howexcited he is for the upcoming Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga film, and his argument over surprise releases is somewhat rooted in how quick, easy, and disposable art can be in the digital streaming era.
“With streaming services, you turn it on and a recommended list of the latest titles appears,” Kojima explains. “With no pre-knowledge, you watch (or play) it. You make a digital choice between ‘it was fun’ or ‘it was boring.’” In comparison, Kojima says that he finds George Miller’s Furiosa “already entertaining.”
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There’s no easy answer about how to deal with release strategies. Different projects have different needs, I guess. But one project that definitely benefits from the slow, almost excruciatingly vague rollout is Kojima’s ownDeath Stranding 2, partly because of how fun the fan theories and clueless speculation can be.
Elsewhere, the director teases that his epic hiking sequel would redefine the meaning of “Strand.”
Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that’s vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he’ll soon forget.
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