A new report claims Google killed a Stadia-exclusive follow-up to Hideo Kojima’s hit game, Death Stranding.
As reported by 9to5Google, Stadia Games and Entertainment turned down the chance for the Death Stranding game as an exclusive for their system prior. This reportedly occurred before Google shut down Stadia’s division in 2021, with the company even initially green-lighting the project. However, it apparently changed its mind after Kojima Productions offered mock-ups of the game in mid-2020, which showed it would be a single-player-only game. Google determined only a multi-player title would sell, so it ultimately killed the project.
The End of Google Stadia
This comes on the heels of news that Google killed Stadia after three years on the market, with all support for the cloud gaming device coming to a close on Jan. 18, 2023. Due to the nature of the device, Google promised to refund gamers for all expenses relating to the Stadia, with most payments going through by mid-January 2023. According to Phil Harrison, the Vice President and General Manager of Stadia, Google’s reason for the shut down largely stems from not having “gained the traction with users.”
“For the Stadia team, building and supporting Stadia from the ground up has been fueled by the same passion for games that our players have. Many of the Stadia team members will be carrying this work forward in other parts of the company,” he said. “We’re so grateful for the groundbreaking work of the team and we look forward to continuing to have an impact across gaming and other industries…”
On the other hand, Kojima Productions continues to thrive. Death Stranding star Norman Reedus confirmed work on a sequel in May 2022, simply stating they’d “just started the second one.” Although it gave no presentation at Tokyo Game Show this year, Kojima Productions drew massive attention for a poster at its booth. The image, also posted on its website, showcases a female silhouette covered by the words “Who Am I?” Many fans theorized this might be Elle Fanning, an actor Kojima himself has expressed great admiration for. It remains unclear what game the poster might tease, but most believe it might indicate someone from Death Stranding 2. The popular game developer hinted that we might see a reveal at The Game Awards in December.
Death Stranding is currently available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Source: 9to5Google
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