Hideo Kojima confirms Death Stranding will not be at E3 2017

Hideo Kojima has confirmed that Death Stranding - his first project since departing Konami and the Metal Gear Solid series - will not be making an appearance at the E3 trade show next week.

The legendary game designer shared the news on Twitter (embedded below) with an intriguing teaser image for the game showing a star-shaped spider's web with the word "Bridges" underneath. What does it mean? Well we won't be finding out at E3.

Kojima says the decision was take so he and his team at Kojima Productions is "fully focused on development" but reminds fans that he will be at E3 in some capacity.

He'll be appearing as a guest on Geoff Keighley's E3 Coliseum live stream in conversation with Hollywood director Jordan Vogt-Roberts, who is in line to direct a big screen adaptation of Metal Gear Solid.

"A one-on-one session looking back at the career of Hideo Kojima, led by Jordan Vogt-Roberts, director of Kong: Skull Island," says a post from presenter Keighley outlining the livestream's schedule.

"These two creative forces will share the stage to discuss the fusion of gaming and cinema. Mr. Kojima will discuss his cinematic influences and how they have allowed him to make masterworks of his own."

Death Stranding was announced at E3 2016 during Sony's press conference, making waves with a cryptic teaser trailer starring Norman Reedus. The announcement came during a year during in which the developer spent most of his time setting up his new studio and deciding which engine to use for Death Stranding.

He eventually chose Guerrilla Games' Decima engine, in which the Dutch studio made recent PS4 hit Horizon Zero Dawn.

Death Stranding was last seen at The Game Awards in December 2016, when Kojima shared a new teaser showing characters played by Guillermo del Toro and Mads Mikkelsen.

Kojima has offered a vague 2019 release date for Death Stranding, so the decision to skip E3 this year makes perfect sense. Fans may be annoyed momentarily, but it's better than them being burned out by years of trailers and marketing hype.

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