Hideo Kojima’s upcoming projects, OD and Physint, have encountered significant delays due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike that commenced in July. The strike has disrupted essential aspects of production, including actor and environment scanning, as well as casting processes. Despite these challenges, Kojima’s Death Stranding 2 remains on schedule, continuing its development unaffected by the labor dispute.
Earlier reports indicated that OD was nearing its final stages of development, with collaborations involving notable figures like Jordan Peele. However, the current strike has introduced unexpected hurdles, pushing back its release timeline. In contrast, Physint, still in its nascent stages, has limited information available, making its progress less transparent compared to past project announcements.
How is the SAG-AFTRA strike affecting production?
“For OD, we developed the game and had actor and environment scanning,” Kojima wrote as part of his 2024 year-in-review. “In the second half of the year, scanning and filming were suspended due to the SAG strike. Casting was also suspended for Physint due to the strike.”
The strike has halted critical production activities for OD and Physint, leading to delays in scanning, filming, and casting. These interruptions have disrupted the workflow and extended the development timelines for both projects.
What is the current status of Death Stranding 2?
Death Stranding 2 continues to advance as planned, unaffected by the SAG-AFTRA strike because its production began prior to the labor dispute. This project, already in a stable development phase, is set to be released on PS5 within the year, demonstrating resilience against the current industry-wide challenges.
What are the future prospects for OD and Physint?
“It’s a new stealth-action game from Hideo Kojima,”
Physint is anticipated to evolve once the strike concludes, resuming its development and casting processes. OD, described as a fusion of game and cinematic experiences, awaits the resolution of production suspensions before it can progress towards its eventual release, leaving fans eagerly anticipating further updates.
The SAG-AFTRA strike has underscored the vulnerability of ongoing projects to labor disputes within the entertainment industry. While Death Stranding 2 showcases how projects initiated before such conflicts remain on track, OD and Physint highlight the broader impact on new and developing titles. The delay in these projects not only affects release schedules but also reflects the interconnected nature of film and gaming productions reliant on collaborative efforts between various talent and technical teams.
