Summary
One of the most surprising reveals at the Game Awards 2023 was the announcement of the collaboration between gaming auteur Hideo Kojima and director Jordan Peele on the upcoming horror titleOD. The reveal ofODfinally confirms that this title will be a collaboration betweenKojima Productionsand Xbox Game Studios that brings to life a new horror experience and what Kojima claims to be a completely new style of game. The brief trailer for this game was incredibly cryptic, but even more mysterious were the clear references toPTduring this presentation, which could end up revealing more about the game than what the audience was initially shown.
Many viewers were confused by this odd trailer that featured close-up shots of actors who repeated a strange phrase, becoming increasingly uncomfortable as the trailer went on, ending with a door opening reflected in the character’s eyes that caused her to scream at the trailer’s end. While the imagery of thetrailer forODdrew comparisons toPT, what solidified the reveal asPT-inspired was how Kojima was introduced on stage. Rather than simply having him walk out on stage, Kojima emerged from behind a door that bore a striking resemblance to the one fromPT, leading many fans to question the purpose of these references in relation toOD.
How PT Could Influence OD
OD Could Reuse Elements of PT
PT, orPlayable Teaser, was a demo released in 2014 for a new game in theSilent Hillseries that was being developed by Kojima at Konami before being canceled in 2015 and having the demo removed from the PlayStation Store. Despite never amounting to a fully-released game,PThas had a massive influence on the horror gaming genre as it introduced a unique style of looping gameplay wherein players would walk down a hallway and through a door, revealing new horrors with each loop. Many games have tried to replicate the feel ofPTin the years since it was released, butODmight finally be the true successor players have been waiting for.
It’s clear Kojima had created something special withPT, so it’s a shame that the full game never saw the light of day. However, some of the elements that were intended to be used forPT’s gameplay may have been reused or reworked to fit withinKojima’s vision forOD. If this is the case, it makes sense that he would want to utilize the familiar imagery ofPTto tease fans of the demo and build excitement around the potentialODholds to carry onPT’s legacy.
OD Might Build Upon Ideas Established by PT
The likelihood thatODis the successor toPTseems fairly high at this point, given the obvious reference made during this presentation at the Game Awards. Even the nameODbeing comprised of two simple letters is reminiscent ofPT, so there is a clear through line between these two projects. However, this connection doesn’t necessarily mean thatODwill end up as a one-to-one copy ofPTor of theSilent Hillgameit was supposed to be a demo for.
It’s been almost a decade sincePTwas released, and in that time many other horror titles have built upon the foundation that it established for the genre. As such,ODwill need to bring something new to the table if it’s truly going to be the new style of horror experience that Kojima claims it will be. While the horror genre has become saturated withPT-like gamesin the past decade, Kojima Production has the game development chops necessary to create a brand-new experience usingPTas a base in a way no developer has before, and it’s possible that these references at the Game Awards were meant to symbolizeOD’s evolution out ofPT.
P.T.
P.T.was a first-person survival horror game. Originally launched as a free game in a new franchise by the indie studio 7780s Studio, finishing the game reveals P.T. stands for Playable Teaser and the game is actually developed by Kojima Productions as a teaser for the then upcoming but eventually cancelled gameSilent Hills. The section was said not to be part of the game. The game starts with the protagonist who wakes up in a dark room. A door leads into an L-shaped hallway with photos and various items. The hallway appears to loop around while a radio broadcast lets the player know a man has murdered his family and later killed himself. Through various loops of the same hallway and a few surrounding rooms, gradually various forms of paranormal activity occur, with sounds, changes in lighting, apparitions and many other types of events.There is no combat system and the focus is entirely on exploration. There are also only puzzles in the sense that certain events can be encountered, as there is no HUD or any direct means to interact with the environment except for movement. After a certain event is triggered based on various conditions, the game ends and a trailer forSilent Hillsis shown.After the game Silent Hills was cancelled, PT was removed from the PlayStation Network on 30 June 2025.
