A new rumor is making the rounds that a new Silent Hill game is in the works, and will be revealed this summer.
In a report by VGC discussing whether The Medium developer Bloober Team would be working on the rumored new Silent Hill game, they dismissed the rumor outright thanks to their own sources. They claim that not only is the game being worked on by a “prominent” Japanese developer, but that it will be revealed Summer 2021.
“However, VGC understands that Konami has already outsourced a Silent Hill project to a prominent Japanese developer, with a reveal due this summer.”
VGC also state that “two people with knowledge” of Konami’s plans told them that Konami approached Dark Pictures developer Supermassive for a Silent Hill game, but the project was not signed.
Other sources told VGC that the Japanese-developer Silent Hill would be a departure from past games; which would match with prior claims of Konami looking to licence alternative ideas for the series, and that Konami wished to reboot Silent Hill with two different games.
The reveal date may indicate it will be revealed at an event such as E3, Summer of Gaming, or other major gaming reveal showcase. The VGC article discusses how some had come to believe Bloober Team would be behind it.
The developer’s CEO Piotr Babieno had told GamesIndustry.biz that “we’ve been working for more than a year on another gaming project, another horror IP, and we’re doing this with a very famous gaming publisher. I can’t tell you who. I can’t tell you what the project is, but I’m pretty sure when people realize we’re working on it, they will be very excited.”
Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka also recently hinted the next game he would work on is “one you’re hoping to hear about” during an interview. The interview video was later taken down, with the interviewer stating he had asked to remove it.
The sudden removal of the video only made speculation on a new Silent Hill game rampant. A Konani spokesperson later stated “Konami did not ask Al Hub to take down the interview.”
YouTuber TheGrateDebate also noted that Yamaoka was working with Bloober Team in his hour long video proposing Bloober Team would be behind the next Silent Hill game.
We previously reported how sources claimed to Rely on Horror that two Silent Hill games were in development. The first was a “soft reboot” involving Keiichiro Toyama (director and writer for the original Silent Hill), Akira Yamaoka (music composer for many titles in the franchise), and Masahiro Ito (monster designer).
The second was a a revival of Hideo Kojima’s Silent Hills. For those unfamiliar, a demo titled P.T. (Playable Teaser) was added to the PlayStation Network in 2014. The unsettling horror game utilized many cryptic clues to unlock the game’s true ending, revealing it was Silent Hills.
The project would have been designed and directed by Hideo Kojima, in collaboration with Guillermo del Toro, and with the involvement of Norman Reedus.
However, the game was cancelled in 2015 by Konami. Soon after the situation rapidly deteriorated [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] ultimately leading to Kojima leaving Konami, and forming Kojima Productions. Their first title, Death Stranding, featured Norman Reedus and Guillermo del Toro using facial and motion-capture.
Due to the rocky relationship between Konami and Kojima, we had our doubts that Sony would be able to get access to the Silent Hill IP and have Kojima work on a Silent Hill game. A North American PR representative for Konami would release a statement to Rely on Horror, denying the rumors.
“We’re aware of all the rumors and reports but can confirm that they are not true. I know it’s not the answer your fans may want to hear.”
[…] “It’s not to say we are completely closing the door on the franchise, just not in the way it is being reported.”
Kojima Productions would certainly match the description of a “prominent Japanese developer,” but we still have doubts if the bad blood has gone for all parties that would be involved. The developer is certainly working on something, and Uzumaki author Junji Ito had been offered to make a horror games by Kojima. He later apologized once those comments were made public, revealing that it was more of a casual offer.
If Konami were to reboot Silent Hill, making two games in the “classic” and a new style would make some sense. The discussion of the Silent Hill reboots may also have prompted changes in development, along with reactions to other horror games, and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic causing development issues.
In late January, Konami denied they would stop producing video games, after restructuring and dissolving several production departments later revealed to be supervisory.
