The PS5 exclusive Abandoned is a survival horror game recently announced on the PlayStation Blog that promises a "highly detailed open world" and "a realistic approach to survival." A teaser trailer accompanied the reveal, showcasing a creepy forest environment with a narrator detailing unsettling events.
However, gamers didn't take the announcement at face value. A conspiracy theory began circulating online that suggested Abandoned could be the codename for Hideo Kojima's next project. This theory collapsed after Game Director Hasan Kahraman released a response making it clear that the team has "no association with Hideo Kojima."
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Hideo Kojima's former secrecy
The theory that Abandoned had something to do with Hideo Kojima wasn't a stretch. Nine years ago, a mysterious trailer for a game called The Phantom Pain was revealed at the 2012 Video Game Awards. The game was apparently being developed by Moby Dick Studio and the trailer itself showcased disturbing and perplexing imagery.
Internet sleuths and journalists went to work to decipher this mysterious campaign and quickly learned that Moby Dick Studio never existed. At the time, Metal Gear Solid was not attached to the title in any way, but the internet was full of theories suggesting the game had to be Metal Gear Solid V; these theories were correct.
Gamers assumed Kojima was pulling a similar stunt with Abandoned, as the game shows striking similarities to P.T. Blue Box Games Studios also has a minimal presence on the internet, which simply bolstered the validity of this theory.
We don't know what Kojima is actually working on next, but we have reason to believe it could be published by Xbox.
