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Kojima Partnering With Killzone, Horizon Dev Guerrilla for Death Stranding

Death Stranding uses the Horizon: Zero Dawn engine.

42 Comments

Kojima Productions is collaborating with Guerrilla Games on the development of Death Stranding and will use Guerilla's Decima engine, it was announced today.

The news was shared during a Death Stranding panel at PlayStation Experience. After discussing the latest trailer (below), Kojima was joined on stage by Guerrilla's Hermen Hulst and Sony's Mark Cerny. Cerny discussed the trip he and Kojima took in meeting various developers when trying to find the right technology for Death Stranding.

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Now Playing: GS News Update: Kojima Partnering With Killzone, Horizon Dev Guerrilla for Death Stranding

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"Unfortunately, Kojima-san needed to leave his technology with his former employee," Cerny said, referencing Konami, which elicited boos from the crowd. "So we went on a quest to find an engine for his game."

Kojima ultimately settled on Decima, which is the engine used to power all of Guerrilla's games, including the upcoming Horizon: Zero Dawn. Hulst noted it's taken a "quantum leap" forward in the past few years to get it ready for this project. Kojima added that he "had a very good feeling" about Guerrilla after meeting with the team.

There was a reference to the engine's ability to handle an open-world game, though that doesn't necessarily indicate Death Stranding will be open-world. Kojima also confirmed the second trailer was running in real-time on a PS4 Pro.

Other details of note include the fact that there will be female characters in the game, though Kojima isn't prepared to reveal them yet. He also shared that the character played by Mads Mikkelsen in the second trailer is Death Stranding's antagonist. Additionally, a limited-edition vinyl will be released featuring the music from the E3 trailer, as well as the track featured in a special version of the second trailer shown during today's panel.

The panel is ongoing; we'll update this story with any other information Kojima and company share. For a roundup of everything else announced at PSX, check out our roundup of all the news and trailers.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

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illegal_peanut

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The killzone engine? The same engine that rivals frostbite engine!? shit I'm in.

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Arandomperson7

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I never owned a Playstation before the Ps3 (I wanted a blu-ray player and figured I’d get one that plays games) and so I never really got into metal gear. Since I don’t completely live under a rock I do know who Kojima is, but can someone please explain why this is so hyped? Both trailers have been nonsensical and I can’t understand what this came is even about. It basically seems to me that it comes down to “Kojima + symbolism =most anticipated game” regardless of the substance.

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LouiXIII

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GREATNESS AWAITS!!!

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howthegodzkill

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Im glad Sony has games like this and all the other exclusives coming next year. Halo, Gears and Forza are cool in moderation but come on Microsoft, ramp up the reasons to want an Xbox already.

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k9kal85

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Edited By k9kal85

@howthegodzkill: You just named 3 reasons lol

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aquarake

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Edited By aquarake

Heh, I used to be such a big fan of Kojima's games. MGS 1-4, Zone of the Enders, Snatcher... but MGSV was so trash. It was barely even a Metal Gear game due to trying to please fans of Western-developed games, coupled with his Hollywood obsession. It was a really shitty last Kojima game for the franchise. One that left a really bad taste in my mouth. The only thing good about it was the actual gameplay. I think his movie obsessed mind has ruined how his games turn out now. I have zero interest in Death Stranding. I'll even go as far as being honest and saying it looks dumb. So many people still flock to anything the man does, when MGS4 was the last masterpiece he actually created. I'll always have love and respect for the guy since he crafted 4 of my all time favorite video games, but I really do think he has lost it.

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PlaystationZone

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How much like creator work I won't be getting death standing because only online game .

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asnakeneverdies

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@playstationzone: You talk in a funny way. What's your story?

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notchedbandit

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@asnakeneverdies: Google Translate, is his story.

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asnakeneverdies

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@notchedbandit: Why would PlaystationZone do that? I think there might be a little more to the story than his/her translation service of choice. Some weathered sounding tale from a distant land across the sea. Who knows?

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asnakeneverdies

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Edited By asnakeneverdies

I really didn't want to get a PS4 Pro, but I just can't bear the thought of playing Death Stranding on the base model knowing there's a slightly superior version available. I'd wait for a PC release, but I'm not sure it's coming to the platform, and even if that were the case, I don't think it will come out soon enough for me. Life's so hard. :(

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notchedbandit

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@asnakeneverdies: I can pretty much guarantee you that it will release on the PC (as Kojima pretty much confirmed it), but it could take a few months after the PS release, or even a few years. It all depends on how long you are willing to wait. There's also a high chance that it could be horrible on the PC, like most AAA games that get ported over.

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PlaystationZone

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@asnakeneverdies: Sony said be no exclusives games or content . PS4 pro since coming PS4 anyway all games are

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asnakeneverdies

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Edited By asnakeneverdies

@playstationzone: I know, and that's what bothers me because it makes it difficult to justify the purchase of a PS4 Pro. I'd prefer games like this to be exclusives to the mid-gen updated version of the console instead of being limited by base model specifications in any way. That's the main reason I believe the PS4 Pro to be a pointless console, but as I mentioned above, I'll have to get the system if it's the only way to play the best version available of Death Stranding.

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Xristophoros

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Edited By Xristophoros

@asnakeneverdies: not necessarily. by the time death stranding releases (2 years or so), i have a feeling ps5 will be just around the corner. ps5 will in all likelihood be backwards compatible with ps4 games... in other words, if you can hold off playing death stranding for a few months after it releases and wait for the ps5, you can avoid the ps4 pro altogether and play the "superior" version of the game. death stranding might even get an official ps5 release for all we know.

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k9kal85

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@Xristophoros: I think maybe in 2020 we might start hearing PS5 rumblings.

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asnakeneverdies

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@k9kal85: 2020!? We'll be hearing about the ninth-gen consoles by late 2018 at the most.

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asnakeneverdies

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@Xristophoros: I'm not sure about the next console being backwards compatible, but even if that were the case, I wouldn't trust emulation with my virginal playthrough of any game. I have also considered the possibility of the game being released for both PS4 and PS5, but I thoroughly dislike the notion, because it would mean that the game will never take full advantage of the next-gen hardware available. I originally expected the next game from Kojima to be announced as a PS5 exclusive launch title considering how long it usually takes him and his team to release a game, but it was not to be. :(

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John_Matrix_007

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Edited By John_Matrix_007

Guerrilla Games does all the work and Kojima gets all the glory.

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gamefreak215jd

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@john_matrix_007: Dude read the article. It says that Kojima's using their engine. Just like how various developers like Bioware, Arkane and WB use third party engine.

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attirex

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attirex  Online

"Death Stranding?" Lol, what the fck does that even mean?

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asnakeneverdies

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Edited By asnakeneverdies

@attirex: The process of stranding to death? I thought that was pretty clear.

Also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetacean_stranding

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attirex

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Edited By attirex  Online

@asnakeneverdies:

OOOoooooh, I got it now. So like you and death are on a road trip to coachella, and death pisses you off and you're like NO WAI and death is all WAI and so you kick death out of your car and you like just drive away and death is left standing by the side of the road with his/her backpack and can of Red Bull (you kept all the weed) and being all wtf and when you get to the chella you're all bros i like just stranded death! And bros are all NO WAI and you're like WAI I DID fistbumps time for crossfit.

DEATH STRANDING.

Almost as good as KILLING FLOOR.

My game is called DIE CHAIR. It is a CHAIR in which you DIE.

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Xristophoros

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@attirex: lol... i like your analogy. i got bill and ted 2 flashbacks :D

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asnakeneverdies

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@attirex: That situational representation is too simple to be truly interesting IMO, but yeah, you got it buddy!

Note: I originally wrote stranding death while my intention was to write stranding to death, but I suppose both ideas are plausible, although the notion of stranding oneself to die (maybe even repeatedly ["I'll keep coming"]) appears to be better supported by the presented imagery.

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Deseo1990

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Bet konami playing Rochambeau for letting him go

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bluebird08

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Edited By bluebird08

No wonder the game looks amazing! Guerrilla's engine is fantastic!

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NTM23

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Edited By NTM23

That's weird, because it looked a lot like the Fox Engine, just a bit better. Makes sense that it isn't the Fox Engine though. The artist (which I assume is the same as it was for the Metal Gear games) really has his mark on it.

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JohnCrichton

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So long as it's only for their tech, I see no issue. Guerilla is generally a pretty disappointing studio, but their tech is solid.

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SyntaxKT

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@JohnCrichton: agreed. I was excited for horizons until I learned it was another Ubisoft style action adventure game where you climb towers to see more of the map with some of the Dino's acting as a tower.

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SyntaxKT

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@syntaxkt:

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asnakeneverdies

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@JohnCrichton: My thoughts exactly.

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Veemon_X

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Horizon Dawn looks really good, so Kojima's interest in it could be a good sign.

Completely, unrelated, first thing I thought of when I read the word Killzone was "Frag Out! AAAAGGHHH Scatter! Grenade! We need support!"

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DarthRevenX

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this is good news.....Horizon Zero Dawn looks nice and should be a really good game but the teasers for Death Stranding put this engine on a whole other level....perhaps that's just the engine producing vids and the gameplay gfx might be less IDK but even on FOX engine the previews looked too good to be true but MGSV delivered.....

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nTrophy

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I have only this one thing to say...

WTFMJHDGHDHDHGGGGGGGGHHHAAA!

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DarthRevenX

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@nTrophy: *suspense sting* !

huh, what was that noise? eh, just a box.....

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nTrophy

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@darthrevenx: hurt me more!!

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DarthRevenX

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@nTrophy: LALELULELO!?

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ps3gamer1234

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Cool, going to look amazing.

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KaalKurayami

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@ps3gamer1234: agree

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