Kojima Productions' Summer Game Fest Surprise: What We Know So Far

Summer Game Fest has become the go-to event for gamers worldwide in the absence of E3. Created and led by industry icon Geoff Keighley, who also founded The Game Awards, this annual gathering has grown in popularity since its inception in 2020. Featuring a series of virtual showcases and conferences, Summer Game Fest runs over several days during the summer months. The event will kick off with an eagerly anticipated livestream showcase, where some well-known faces from the world of gaming are expected to make an appearance. Scheduled for Thursday, June 8, 2023, this two-hour event promises to be jam-packed with exciting reveals and announcements. With over 40 publishers slated to participate, it's no surprise that Hideo Kojima, a regular collaborator with Keighley, is expected to make an appearance.

Kojima Productions Could Have a Reveal or Two Ready for Summer Game Fest

Geoff Keighley and Hideo Kojima share a well-established professional relationship and friendship, with Keighley consistently praising Kojima's work and collaborating with him to unveil upcoming games at events organized by Keighley. When Konami banned Kojima from attending the Game Awards, Keighley publicly supported his friend and criticized the publisher. Since then, Kojima has made frequent appearances at Keighley-led events, including the recent Summer Game Fest.

While the 2020 Summer Game Fest had fewer reveals, Kojima was present at the event's second year to announce the highly anticipated Death Stranding Director's Cut for PS5. Although Kojima was absent from the opening ceremony of the 2022 Summer Game Fest, he did appear during Xbox's games showcase to announce a partnership with the publisher. Although these showcases are technically separate, Xbox typically schedules its event within the Summer Game Fest schedule.

Kojima Productions is currently working on several projects, one of which may make an appearance at Summer Game Fest 2023. The studio's flagship project is Death Stranding 2, a follow-up to the critically acclaimed PlayStation 4 exclusive that has since been ported to other platforms. Despite rumors that the game will be a PS5 exclusive upon launch, it was not featured in PlayStation's recent showcase, making Summer Game Fest the next likely venue for a reveal.

In addition to Death Stranding 2, Kojima Productions is also reportedly working on a project for Xbox, rumored to be called Overdose and with a focus on psychological horror. While it would seem more fitting for an announcement to occur during Xbox's upcoming showcase, Summer Game Fest could be the platform for a teaser announcement, directing fans to the Xbox Showcase for more information. The absence of Kojima Productions on the official list of Game Fest partners does not rule out the possibility of a surprise appearance at the event.