Hideo Kojima has confirmed that production for his upcoming horror project, OD-KNOCK, is progressing smoothly and remains on schedule. Speaking during the Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2026 Broadcast on September 17, the director provided a rare status update on the title, which is being developed in collaboration with filmmaker Jordan Peele and Xbox Game Studios.

The project, which Kojima says is intended to “test the thresholds of fear,” has overcome significant production hurdles over the last two years. Performance capture and ADR recording for the game resumed in early 2026 after a lengthy pause caused by the industry-wide SAG-AFTRA strike.

Kojima specifically highlighted the work of lead actors Sophie Lillis and Hunter Schafer, describing their performances as both “intense” and “outstanding.” The cast also includes the late Udo Kier, whose involvement has been confirmed as a posthumous performance.

Production Recovery and the ‘Knock’ Subtitle

While the game was originally introduced simply as OD, official materials and presentations at TGS 2026 have utilized the title OD-KNOCK. Kojima explained that the subtitle is a direct reflection of his own psychological fears, specifically a personal aversion to the sound of loud knocking. This focus on sensory triggers appears to be a core pillar of the game’s design.

The development relies heavily on Xbox cloud technology, which Kojima has previously suggested will allow the game to function as a “new medium” that blurs the lines between traditional gaming and film. Despite the experimental nature of the technology, the studio maintains that the project is currently meeting its internal milestones.

Expanding the Xbox Partnership

The update on OD-KNOCK comes amid a broader shift in Kojima Productions’ publishing strategy. During the same TGS broadcast, it was revealed that Xbox Game Studios has also taken over publishing duties for Physint, Kojima’s other upcoming “action-espionage” project.

The move follows reports that PlayStation Studios dropped Physint in mid-2026, leading to Xbox stepping in to secure the title. This expansion solidifies the partnership between Kojima and Microsoft, which began with the announcement of OD as a cloud-native experience.

While a specific release window for OD-KNOCK has not yet been announced, the resumption of full-scale performance capture suggests the project is entering a high-intensity phase of development. Kojima’s praise for his leads and the confirmation of the project’s stability suggest that the technical and logistical delays of the previous year have been largely resolved.