Sons of the Forest

Instead of a full release, Endnight Games’ survival horror sandbox sequel is launching into Steam Early Access on February 23rd to add more features over time and get feedback from the community. There’s already tons to look forward to with this launch, whether it’s the map that’s four times larger than the first game, AI companions, revamped building mechanics, or all the little secrets. Even if it needs some more time to be fully “complete,” Sons of the Forest should be an incredible experience when it arrives later this month for PC.

In fact, as per Kojima, the project may very well never have moved forward if not for Microsoft. Speaking in a recent interview with IGN, he explained that the mystery game “required infrastructure that was never needed before”, and when he pitched the idea to other publishers and big companies – which, according to previous leaks, included Sony and Google – they thought he was “mad”. Microsoft, on the other hand, seemed to get what the project was about and what would be needed to get it made.

“The project we’re working on with Microsoft is one I have been thinking about for five or six years already,” Kojima explained. “The project required infrastructure that was never needed before, so I discussed it with lots of different big companies and gave presentations, but they really seemed to think that I was mad. It was ultimately Microsoft who showed that they understood, and now we’re working together on the project, including the technology front.”

What that project is hasn’t yet been officially announced, of course, but as per leaks, it will be a horror game called Overdose, starring Margaret Qualley – who also starred in Death Stranding – as the protagonist. Recently, gameplay footage from the title was also leaked.

It remains to be seen when exactly we’ll get more concrete details on the game, but Kojima recently said that he hopes to share new details about it sometime in 2023.

Celebrating Kojima Productions’ seventh anniversary, the studio recently published a video in which Kojima shared a message with fans, while also showing off the studio’s new office (which looks like it’s straight out of a sleek sci-fi future).

As part of the message, Kojima confirmed that the studio is currently working on another “completely new” project in addition to the aforementioned Death Stranding 2, along with “some visual projects”, all of which he hopes to be able to talk about in greater detail at some point in 2023.

“In addition to Death Stranding 2, we are also preparing a completely new game, as well as some visual projects,” Kojima says. “I am hoping to bring you more information on all of these next year.”

It was confirmed earlier this year that Kojima Productions is working on a cloud-native game exclusively for Xbox in partnership with Microsoft, which leaks have claimed is going to be the horror title Overdose, starring Margaret Qualley (who also starred in Death Stranding). Gameplay footage for Overdose was also recently leaked.

Whether Overdose is the new unannounced project in question remains to be seen, but it does look like we’ll know one way or another in the not-too-distant future, so there’s that. Stay tuned for more updates on the same.

https://twitter.com/KojiPro2015_EN/status/1603631696733040640

Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake Reveal

Metal Gear Solid had its share of rumors last year, the most significant being that Virtuos is working on a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3. Things seemed somewhat quiet since this news emerged, but this past October saw the developer uploading a recruitment video where fans spotted the “The Art of Metal Gear Solid” book. It then recently listed Konami as a client on its website while noting its experience with Fox Engine (used to develop Metal Gear Solid 5). An announcement at The Game Awards may seem off base, but these recent developments are conspicuous.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Trailer and Release Date

You’d be forgiven for thinking Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a way off. Electronic Arts revealed the sequel to the hit action-adventure back in May and went radio silent. Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb alleges it to be on track for release in March 2023, with new information coming in December. Insider-Gaming’s Tom Henderson would later reveal a new trailer, release date, and pre-order date would be revealed roughly 30 minutes into The Game Awards 2022. Again, we’ll have to wait and see, but EA needs to start promoting the game sooner rather than later.

Overdose Reveal

Back in June, Kojima Productions’ rumored next project Overdose was leaked. It allegedly stars Margaret Qualley of Death Stranding fame, though it seems more of a horror game. The studio would begin teasing the title at TGS 2022 with a mysterious woman (later revealed to be Elle Fanning) and a tagline stating, “Who am I?”

Another image at PAX Australia featured another silhouetted actor (later confirmed to be Shioli Kutsuna) with the words “Where am I?” The next teaser image had no actor and simply asked, “How come?” It’s all seemingly leading to something, and a reveal at The Game Awards feels likely.

Diablo 4 Release Date Reveal

It’s no secret that Blizzard has been hosting closed tests for Diablo 4, but Insider-Gaming’s Tom Henderson reported that various hands-on impressions from media outlets would go live in early December. This is reportedly slated for before The Game Awards, though the actual date may be subject to change.

XboxEra’s Nick Baker alleged that a release date would be announced at the show, with Windows Central corroborating. The latter also claimed pre-orders to be going live as well, along with a reveal of premium physical and digital editions, and pre-order bonuses (including an open beta in February). So whether it’s before the awards or on the same date, Diablo 4 news is reportedly due in the coming weeks.

Final Fantasy 16 New Trailer and Release Date Announcement

Final Fantasy 16 is the next big mainline Final Fantasy title and has only looked more impressive since its reveal last year. While the development team plans to reveal the release date in December, this could happen at The Game Awards. According to Insider-Gaming’s Tom Henderson, pre-orders are reportedly going live on December 7th or 8th, with a new trailer also to be revealed. That could be when the event unveils the release date, though the developer could opt to specify the month instead of a hard date.

NetherRealm’s Next Game

Whether it’s leaks or teases from the studio itself, Mortal Kombat 12 has long been rumored as NetherRealm’s next project. Nevertheless, chief creative officer Ed Boon took some fans aback when he outright tweeted that the developer’s next project was Injustice 3 or Mortal Kombat 12. Call it rolling or an honest-to-goodness answer, but NetherRealm did announce Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11 at previous TGAs. Perhaps three times the charm this year.

Alan Wake 2

Remedy Entertainment was set to reveal more on Alan Wake 2 at this year’s Summer Game Fest showcase. That didn’t happen, but it assured fans that the horror game is on track for 2023. An appearance at The Game Awards 2022 is still kind of 50/50, but since it was revealed at last year’s show, it’s certainly possible.

Crash Bandicoot Wumpa League

Rumors of a new Crash Bandicoot game have circulated for a while, with several indications that it could be a multiplayer project called Wumpa League. Jez Corden of Windows Central reported on the next title being a four-player brawler developed by Toys for Bob. Why could it be announced at The Game Awards? An “Aku Aku’s Steam-In Pizza Shack” box was sent to YouTuber Canadian Guy Eh with a receipt that said, “Hungry for more? Try out our new Wumpa Pizza for $12.08!” “12.08,” of course, corresponds to The Game Awards on December 8th. Whether it’s Wumpa League or not, a new Crash Bandicoot announcement is coming.

Death Stranding 2

Would two Kojima Productions reveals at one show make much sense? Probably not, which is also why Kojima may go ahead and do it. We already know Death Stranding 2 is in development, thanks to actor Norman Reedus confirming the same. Whether it’s far enough to showcase anything remains to be seen, but even a simple announcement by Kojima that it’s in the works, even in pre-production, is enough.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

While a new trailer for Skull and Bones is likely to be showcased to remind everyone that it still exists, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora could appear, despite being delayed to sometime between April 2023 and March 2024. Avatar: The Way of Water, the long-awaited sequel to the first movie, will release one week after The Game Awards. Weird as it sounds, some cross-promotion is possible, though it’s still a toss-up given rumors in July about Frontiers of Pandora being in rough shape.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

Like Mortal Kombat, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 has a history with The Game Awards. It was first revealed at The Game Awards 2019 and re-emerged at TGA 2021 with a gameplay trailer. Given the lack of new footage at the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, not to mention the lackluster number of Xbox exclusives this year, it could get some update on December 8th. Not a release date, of course, but one can still dream.

Layers of Fears Release Date Reveal

While Bloober Team is now known more for being “The Silent Hill 2 Remake Studio,” it still has a new Layers of Fear title coming out. Developed on Unreal Engine 5 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, it was announced at the Summer Game Fest showcase and received another trailer at the Future Games Show during Gamescom. A proper release date at The Game Awards is possible, especially if it’s out in early 2023.

New Ghost Recon

A new Ghost Recon is rumored to be in development. It was mentioned in the infamous GeForce Now leak and reportedly targets a release by March 31st, 2023. If still planned for the same, a reveal at The Game Awards wouldn’t be far-fetched. It’s unlikely but keep an eye out all the same.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Back in September, an insider claimed that gameplay for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 would be shown “soon.” That didn’t happen, but Insomniac did note that the game is making good progress and is still scheduled for 2023. Sony would probably save a major reveal like this for its next PlayStation Showcase. Or it may try to steal everyone’s thunder at The Game Awards.

The Wolf Among Us 2

Given how it’s releasing in 2023 and had a preview hosted by The Game Awards creator Geoff Keighley last February, The Wolf Among Us 2 seems plausible for this year’s show. Telltale Games said in September that there wouldn’t be any more updates “for a while” since it doesn’t want to overhype the game. Call it a toss-up for now.

Now, gameplay footage for the title seems to have emerged online. A new video is doing the rounds that shows an off-screen recording of the game being played on a phone (which might lend credence to the speculation this Overdose is Kojima Productions’ Xbox-exclusive cloud-native game).

The footage seems to be what was described in the aforementioned leak. It shows the protagonist, played by Qualley, walking through a dark corridor with a flashlight in her hand, with touch screen prompts interspersed through the third person gameplay.

The clip ends with Qualley’s character being ambushed by her ominous pursuer. The words “GAME OVER” then flash on the screen, before changing to “A HIDEO KOJIMA GAME – OVERDOSE”. Of course, the real jump scare is the reflection of the shirtless man recording this whole thing. Check out the leaked footage below.

Kojima Productions and Hideo Kojima have also been sharing teases for another mystery unannounced titled, which has been confirmed to star Elle Fanning and Shioli Kutsuna. Reports claim that the game in question is a sequel to Death Stranding.

https://youtu.be/kJv7lDXu3XM

“It’s almost like a new medium,” said Kojima. “If this succeeds, it’ll turn things around – not just in the game industry, but the movie industry as well.”

These statements echo similar sentiments Kojima had expressed in the lead up to the release of Death Stranding, which was dubbed as a “strand” game.

While details about the new game being worked on at Kojima Productions are scarce, the game is rumoured to be titled Overdose.

Earlier this year, Kojima appeared during an Xbox and Bethesda Game Showcase, announcing a partnership with Microsoft for the new game. Kojima has maintained, however, that his studio still has a “very good partnership” with PlayStation.

Kojima Productions also seems to be working on a sequel to Death Stranding, which might feature Elle Fanning, and be teased as the “Who Am I?” project.

Upon entering the QR code, he discovered an image that revealed Elle Fanning as the person of interest. You can check out the website for the same here, but as MacDonald noted, “It’s proxied by a QR code tinyurl that might point to a new URL in the future.” Expect more teases in the coming months, and a proper reveal could take place at The Game Awards, so stay tuned.

The project is at least confirmed to be “A Hideo Kojima Game,” as noted in the teaser image. Whether this is Overdose, which reportedly features Margaret Qualley, or a brand new title remains to be seen. In the meantime, Kojima Productions is working on Death Stranding 2, which actor Norman Reedus nonchalantly confirmed in an interview. It also has an Xbox-exclusive project in the works utilizing cloud technology.

Kojima Productions is teasing a project in Melbourne, Australia at PAX https://t.co/Wtm7fL8pnh pic.twitter.com/GAo4GB3wUT

— Lance McDonald (@manfightdragon) October 7, 2022

Scanning an accompany QR code reveals this image as part of a teaser for a Kojima Productions project pic.twitter.com/rjJHxgBck3

— Lance McDonald (@manfightdragon) October 7, 2022

The URL is https://t.co/4QysFOIAVi

It’s proxied by a QR code tinyurl that might point to a new URL in the future.

— Lance McDonald (@manfightdragon) October 7, 2022

Here is the QR code pic.twitter.com/8nPbJFxY3W

— Lance McDonald (@manfightdragon) October 7, 2022

While studio founder Hideo Kojima didn’t clarify much in a recent tweet, he did say that the character would be revealed at the next major event. “The answer to ‘WHO’ at TGS will be in the next ‘WHERE’.” This could be at The Game Awards 2022 unless a new PlayStation Showcase suddenly materializes.

This may or may not be related to Overdose, which apparently stars Margaret Qualley as per insider Tom Henderson. But some believe that the actor in the image is Elle Fanning based on comparisons. The Game Awards takes place on December 8th, so it’s still a ways to go. Stay tuned for more details and updates in the meantime.

The answer to “WHO” at TGS will be in the next “WHERE”. pic.twitter.com/y6Y6l7gAxo

— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) October 5, 2022

Interacting with the picture takes fans to this website, which contains the same image. There’s a mysterious logo at the bottom, but not much else. Whether this is for Overdose, Kojima’s rumored horror title that stars Margaret Qualley, or Death Stranding 2, which actor Norman Reedus has confirmed on more than one occasion, remains to be seen. It may even be a VR title, for all we know.

The VR Tour is worth checking out for Death Stranding fans since it features a recreation of Sam’s room, complete with the shower, table, and more. Stay tuned for more details, hopefully in the coming days.

It’s currently codenamed “Overdose” and features Margaret Qualley (who played Mama in Death Stranding). The early footage sent to Henderson saw Qualley’s character navigating dark corridors in third-person using a flashlight, though a first-person perspective is also seemingly available. The footage ends with a jump scare and the words “GAMEOVER.” It then reveals the words “A Hideo Kojima Game” before the official title, “OVERDOSE.”

Of course, there are many questions to be asked. Is this the Xbox-exclusive project that Kojima has been in talks about for several months? Henderson couldn’t verify that the deal between the developer and Xbox had been finalized but said “it does seem that something is likely to be announced soon.”

With the Summer Game Fest on June 9th and Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase on June 12th, there may be an announcement. Stay tuned in the coming days.