'The Legend' Of Hideo Kojima P.T. And Silent Hill Still Burns Strong, Haunts PlayStation
Just when you think the flames of P.T. have died down, Hideo Kojima goes and posts a fresh tweet of himself in a "reunion with Norman Reedus." What's that about? What's he doing? Apparently he's just 'giving an update' on his company.
For anyone who follows the P.T. universe, Hideo Kojima or movie director Guillermo del Toro - this could be something.
For those unfamiliar with the situation this all began when Hideo Kojima back in August 2014 released P.T. under Konami for the PlayStation 4. It was an entirely free download and described itself as a first-person psychological survival horror game. P.T. literally stood for playable teaser and it was directed by Kojima-san. To say it was well received would be an understatement.
Then an actual horrifying event occurred as Konami cancelled the latest Silent Hill project and P.T. was pulled from the PlayStation Network. How very meta of them to instil actual fear in the fanbase. Fear that would soon turn to terror and despair as the likelihood of Hideo Kojima actually continuing it rapidly decomposed.
Movie director and lover of weird horror, Guillermo Del Toro, was also involved in the whole affair. The way it all fell apart had put off del Toro from making video games but there's something drawing him back it seems.
To this day there's a debate over whether P.T. constituted its own game and that it wasn't merely a 'playable teaser' or a demo for something to come, but managed to stand on its own merit albeit briefly. Sadly for fans it still isn't available to re-download. It was such an extraordinary event that people were re-selling PlayStation 4 consoles with P.T. installed for big bucks on eBay for a time.
Many linked P.T. with the then cancelled Silent Hill game by Konami considering they disappeared around the same time, but Kojima-san has said P.T. was never a demo but a teaser for something. Well, the name sure backs him up. Some theorised the playable character in the teaser was the lead protagonist in the new Silent Hill. We'll never know what role they play for sure.
Why was P.T. removed from the PlayStation Network? There's no official statement as to why but it's possible the rift between Hideo Kojima and Konami had a role to play. The publisher is well documented in stripping his name from Metal Gear Solid V before fan outcry forced them to 'correct their mistake'. P.T. has achieved cult status among Kojima and Silent Hill fans.
Actor Norman Reedus was expected to embody the player character in Konami's now canned Silent Hill. Which is why seeing Kojima-san and Reedus happily discussing the former's new independent development studio status is most... interesting.
Reunion with Norman Reedus. Giving update about my own company. pic.twitter.com/1yWMWWGT3q
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) February 16, 2016
Hideo Kojima and Guillermo Del Toro will be holding court to a joint talk at the DICE Awards this week, on February 18th.
The legend or legacy if you prefer of that little slice of P.T. in August of 2014 still beats strong today. While it may not have resulted in a new Silent Hill under the watchful eyes of Konami, Kojima-san appears to have something more to say in the horror space. This joint talk and the sudden tweeting of Norman Reedus 'catching up' on the new company seems a perfect storm.
For the past while Hideo Kojima has been jetting around the globe and has partnered with Sony for a PlayStation 4 title, of which there was even an announcement video.
"I will be taking on a new challenge by establishing my own independent studio, and I am thrilled to be able to embark on this journey with PlayStation, who I have continued to work with all these past years," said Hideo Kojima. "I cannot wait to deliver, with PlayStation, a game that will become a compelling franchise."
Kojima-san's employment contract with Konami officially ended December 15th, 2015 and this sudden partnership was declared the very next day when he became an independent developer again.
The 19th annual DICE Awards will be held at The Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas this Thursday, February 18th where Hideo Kojima is due to receive entry into the Hall of Fame, as well as having Metal Gear Solid V up for Adventure Game of the Year.
Is survival horror still on the agenda for Kojima-san or does this new 'compelling franchise' go in a different direction?