Konami Confirms Partnership with Bloober Team, Fuelling Silent Hill Rumours

Really can't see how it could be anything but Silent Hill, and that's such a disappointment. Everything Bloober has done has been incredibly lackluster

I never played any of their games but it's cool to see another Polish studio doing good.

Gutted! I'd rather Bluebox games be making it. Lets hope i'm wrong and they smash it.

And there goes all my hope for the future of the series. This studio has done nothing but mediocre walking simulators. Silent Hill is a Japanese series and should be made by Japanese developers. Culture has such an impact on the creative process in games.

People need to let Silent Hill die . No matter who comes and develops the next game if there is ever going to be another SH game it wont capture what made the first 3 games so special .

But Twitter told me Lord Hassan the Great was making Silent Hill with Kojima and the backing of Sony?

Blooper Team, more like.

Bloober Team and Silent Hill is not a combination I ever wanted to see. Going by their past works, they are not fit to do a Silent Hill. Bloober are not good at holding themselves back in favour of the subtle and suggestive, atmosphere and imagination. Their games have been amusement park haunted houses.

Furthermore, Silent Hill has failed in every single Western developer's hands. It is a Japanese game and should be back in Japanese hands. I take hope from the reaffirmed comment from VGC that there's another Silent Hill in development in Japan.
I can't take watching this franchise, one I absolutely adore, continue to be gutted and destroyed anymore.

Good luck to them with whatever this turns out to be.

The exciting thing here is that the rumours have proved to be correct re Konami IP. Makes you wonder if the rumour about a Playstation exclusive Silent Hill is also true.

Stretching further, it suggests those rumours about Bluepoint and a Metal Gear Solid remake could also have some basis of fact.

I don't know how to feel about this, as bloober teams latest entries weren't the best

@Ralizah Hey, this is your dream come true!

Now the real question. Is Kojima Productions considered a prominent Japanese developer? I mean the studio released a single game only “DS” and before that it was a subsidiary of Konami.

I am extremely disappointed about the bloober thing. Lets be honest their metacritic average is around 60-70.

I was actually super afraid this would happen, and I'm pretty disappointed to see them going forward in this direction.

Props to Bloober Team, but I don't think they can handle Silent Hill properly based on their past work. Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I just don't think Bloober Team has the "special sauce" to pull this off.

My issue with The Medium is it was old school to a fault. Also, the main character's CONSTANT internal monologue just grew beyond tiresome.

Nope, it’s Abandoned. I shall hear nothing more of it.

Or perhaps this game and Abandoned combine together to create some bizarre modern day equivalent of a Sonic & Knuckles lock-on cartridge, one set in the normal Silent Hill, the other in the alternate world. The full game is only playable after paying £140 for two games.

Time for coffee.

Bloober will put out a middling Silent Hill game, Konami will say "Welp, I guess people don't care about Silent Hill" and then put the IP in cryostorage for another two decades.

Silent Hill fans are the most passionate around. They are rabid for someone to do this series justice again. But maybe we should just accept this series is dead and move on.

Someone needs to call the cops, because this series has been beaten and battered by its abusive husband (Konami) for too long.

Good luck Bloober. May you succeed where no other western developer was able.

sigh

@UnlimitedSevens

What about the Climax-developed Shattered Memories? That’s a very good Silent Hill game, a very good reimagining and a very good attempt at introducing some new concepts to the series. Admittedly it perhaps sits outside the main series and is arguably not canon, but it’s also arguably one of the best Silent Hill games.

Perhaps Sam Barlow should be given another go at the series?

This is great news. I for one cannot wait for the results.

@Vacuumator

I'm with you, I'm just going to stay in my bubble and pretend Bluebox is Kojima in disguise and that actually this is all an elaborate ruse. Bloober is actually Kojima as well, confirmed.

@LiamCroft 🤣

@Saucymonk I’m of the same mind. The game could be good, it could be pants, but I’ve enjoyed the Blooper games I’ve played, so we’ll just have to wait until we play it ourselves 👍

So much complaining. No surprise, really. One Polish website has even coined a catchphrase: Gracze sa wsciekli (Gamers are furious!) which they always put in the titles of clickbait articles (and sure enough the usual round of complaining and sh**storm ensues in the comment section). I actually really liked The Medium and I thought it had nice Silent Hill vibes. I found it way more tense than any Resident Evil since RE2 Remake. To me, that's the definition of Silent Hill (tense and dense atmosphere, not cheap jump scares and lame plot).

@Vacuumator

Honestly good sir, I'd be open to that. They have experience, so maybe that would translate into something. I didn't mind Downpour either.

Just... not Bloober Team, please Lord above. I'd take even Red Barrels (Outlast) or SadSquare (Visage) over this.

Bloober will make Silent Hill into a haunted house theme park ride.

@gollumb82

Let us grieve in our own way sir! Anger is one of the steps to accepting great loss after all haha.

I guess it's true, Konami will pawn off their IP's to any Tom, Dick & Harry with a withering pulse these days. I mean Bloober Team of all developers?

That’s quite a rumour downgrade from Japan studio and original creators to some dudes in Poland with a Studio name that sounds like boobs

I like Bloober's stuff, and if anything - this confirms one rumour that was floating around, and in part might confirm another - that Konami are working with a prominent Japanese developer to reboot the Silent Hill franchise. Fingers crossed this is leading to an announcement from Sony. Saw one website say 8th July for their rumoured showcase. With Housemarque, Ghost of Ikishima, Bloober's Silent Hill, Kojima's Death Stranding Director's Cut and other leaks coming out, I think we are in for a really great show from Sony.

Am i supposed to be excited? It's not the first time Konami has done this and all entries have been mediocre.

Moody game company meets Silent Contravania company to discuss fog effects?

So Konami doesn't know any talented Japanese developers? I would settle for Capcom as they have been killing it with horror (but now suck at fighting games apparently 🤷).

I guess they want the series to stay dead then.

Welp...if it's Silent Hill it means 3 things...

1) There's going to be a lot of angry people.

2) Xbox's E3 really did break a lot of playstation centric channels brains as they spent countless hours wearing tin foil hats connecting the dots that Kajima is making the next silent hill the days that followed.

3)The next silent hill is going to have a 'stealth chase' sequence.

Bloober aren't as bad as you fear though. They haven't been on form lately (though I've yet to play the medium)...Blair witch was a bit of a mess with mindless wondering and clumsy mechanics. And Lays of fear 2 was underwhelming with too many frustrating 'stealth chase' sequences... Layers of fear 1 and observer were some of the best horror games I played last gen. To the point I'm currently replaying Observer again on the ps5 (one of the best showcases for ray tracing I've seen on the ps5 so far btw). I think there's potential to make a decent Silent Hill still.

@Vacuumator “Time for coffee”

I think you might have had enough already 😂

@mucc A SH walking simulator could be really good. When people think of SH, do they really think of the combat?

@HUMPERDOO

Possibly. Probably. I still like the idea though. 😂

I thought it was pretty brazen how Bloober Team wholesale ripped off PT with Layers of Fear.

Now I realize the genius of it. That game wasn't plagiarism, it was an elaborate sales pitch to Konami to get a chance to work on the series. Big brain 3D chess move right there.

@Fyz306903

The combat can indeed be sluggish. Have you played Shattered Memories? That does away with the combat entirely and replaces it with tense chase sequences and it works very well.

Yes, I like Shattered Memories.

All I can say is good luck to Blooper.
They have the talent but they've never had the budget, so hopefully Konami are helping them in that department.

And I just hope the Japanese dev on the other Silent Hill project is Tango Games. I know they are now owned by Xbox, but if a deal was made beforehand, it would be multiformat.
Imagine a Silent Hill game directed by Shinji Mikami? Oh my...

@themightyant Exactly what I came to say. The only great SH game is 2, imo. The rest, especially after 3, are mediocre and if Konami thinks that's fine for SH then Bloober is a good fit. Plus a lot of people love Bloober's games, so...

I quite like Bloober’s games to be honest. The Layers of Fear games are great.

Given how it’s almost been 10 years since the last Silent Hill game, I’m up for an attempt, even if it’s from a mediocre studio. The fact they made a game inspired by Silent Hill (not to mention had the same composer), shows they at least have a passion. Maybe they’ve learnt lessons.

@UnlimitedSevens Bloober Team seems to be fans of the Silent Hill franchise as The Medium soundtrack was handle by Akira Yamaoka.

Anything shy of the Kohima PT/Silent Hills tease is going to be a disappointment for most fans.
I’d say have an open mind and let’s see what Bloober can do. Maybe Blue Box is Bloo Ber and Konami insisted they change their dumb name to something else.

I think even people who liked The Medium have to admit its writing and thematic depth are shallow at best and shockingly awful at worst. That is the reason I have zero confidence in Bloober doing justice to Silent Hill.

Has Konami not seen gameplay of The Medium?

Yikes... suddenly im hoping the Abandoned conspiracy theories are true

Hey ya never know, they could be teaming up to make a new Rumble Roses game.

I feel like I made a wish to the monkey paw. What's up next? MGSV chapter 3 made by Gearbox?
I don't like Bloober team's games, these "hide 'n seek horror" games try to instil a sense of horror by making your character feel helpless in the most lazy way (removing combat). This makes them dull at best and annoying at their worst. I don't want a Silent Hill like this.

Apparently one is episodic and one is a typical silent hill game so hopefully this is the episodic one because yuck

@Athrum Shattered Memories? you could use a flare at certain points to stun enemies for a little while, but it was mostly just running away from enemies and it was a good game overall, the first 4 are still the best but I really liked SM.

@ArcadeHeroes
It'd be one thing if there was only one good game in an entire series that could be chalked up to being a fluke; but three classics in a row prove that making a fourth classic in the series is very much doable

What's all this pathetic outrage about? Bloober is a competent studio. Having a eastern European studio give it a shot might add something interesting to the franchise. And if it's gameplay you guys are concerned about, one should remember that silent hill didn't reach a cult following through it's fantastic gameplay mechanics.

sigh Well, look. The Medium, if it had been designed as a survival horror game, could have been good. Maybe they'll do that here?

I'm guessing it's too much to hope for that the Japanese developer tapped by Konami is will be capable of making a game in the vein of the older classics, right? Doesn't the creator of Silent Hill literally have his own studio now after fleeing from Sony? Why not work with his studio?

@Octane This is some cruel Wishmaster sh*t if true.

In the words of unlucky Alf off the Fast Show, 'Oh Bugger'

@Ralizah Keiichiro Toyama is already working on his own horror game.

https://www.polygon.com/22350115/silent-hill-creator-new-horror-project-keiichiro-toyama-bokeh-game-studio-sony-japan

Well I'm not hyped, Bloober team has really been sucking at horror games recently.

@ArcadeHeroes The Room was great as well, still had some issues but still great(Like the second half). The Room was a fantastic idea and Walter's character was great.

MercurySteam wasn't exactly the best choice for Castlevania at the time either, but Lords of Shadow was sooooo good IMHO. I'm optimistic.

Then again, I also really ended up liking Homecoming and Downpour. I recommend you people give those games a second chance!

You would think Silent Hill fans would accept an new game from a prominent Horror developer with open arms

But no, here they are, whining that it’s not being made by Japanese horror game studio, you know, cause there are SO MANY of those

I’m sorry but people, you’re judging a game before anything is even teased, hell your judging something that might not even be a silent hill game.

So please, until something has been shown, give Bloober a chance, and also stop reading review aggregator sites like Metacritic, that site has never been an accurate reference for public opinion on games

this has me worried now I was really hoping Sony was going to be behind it.

@GingerSilent whats the famous horror IP Bloober’s CEO talking about other than Silent Hill?! Konami has only one horror IP game. Lets hope the “prominent” Japanese developer worths the wait. (Platinum? KP? Tango?)

@Dr_ENT why would Platinum Games make a silent hill game? They’re a action/hack and slash developer. There’s no evidence to suggest that the bad blood between Kojima and Konami is gone. And after Tango is done with Ghostwire they’re becoming a first party developer for Xbox.

So I don’t see any other prominent Japanese horror developer that could make a new SH title. And good luck ever getting team silent back together

@GingerSilent Hiedeki Kamiya was the director of Resident Evil 2. He was the screen writer of the original RE. So he was involved in Horror adventure games. It is just my wild guess trying to figure out what “prominent” Japanese studio could develop SH according to the VGC rumor.

@GingerSilent

The worst thing about Bloober is that their games are not good nor bad, they are consistently aggressively average. Maybe a few extra resources could push them into doing the series justice, I don't know. Bloober has a certain style that seems to be at odds with the slow, tense psychological horror the SH games of old are revered for. It pays to be pessimistic in cases like this, but I secretly do have a sliver of hope.

@UnlimitedSevens there’s founded Pessimism and unfounded Pessimism, it would be one thing if you weren’t a fan of Bloober’s work and they presented a SH game didn’t look very good, that would be understandable pessimism.

But In my opinion, having pessimism towards a game that we know nothing about or seen anything of beyond the fact that Konami confirmed the partnership with Bloober, is more than a little unfair.

We will never know what new talent is capable of unless we give them a chance, and further more, if fans support this possible SH game regardless of of whether it’s average or not, that will tell Konami that people truly care, and truly want more, and that it’s not just a vocal minority of their fans crying out for it

And while we’re talking about SH you know what really sucks?

The looming shadow of Silent Hills.

Unpopular Opinion: Silent Hills didn’t work out in the end and that really sucks, but we have to let it die, or at the very least put it out of our minds.
cause the fact that people cling so hard to the cancelled project is hurting a lot of people making games right now, and the relentless rumors are making things so much worse.

And when I say people I mean people like Kojima, Blue Box Games (even if they brought the PR damage on themselves), and now Bloober. All anyone wants is Silent Hills cause they think Konami/Kojima can conjure up something that will meet those high expectations. Nobody is asking for something new or safe from the franchise, hell, people forget that Silent Hills was intended as a reboot of the franchise, so how do we know the gameplay could work today?

I want to make something very clear, I am not defending Bloober because I think there’s no chance they could make a bad SH game, there’s a very real possibility that it could crash and burn.
but for me personally, I like the people at Bloober, I like their passion for horror games, I like that they’re able to make horror games in a relatively triple A capacity, considering how niche the genre really is, and most importantly they are capable of making a horror game, even if it’s an average one at best, so I’m giving them a chance, for their sake, and for SH

Sorry for the novel lol

@GingerSilent

No worries on the length, I enjoyed the read.

I think you just cut right to the heart of the matter, maybe we need to let go of PT and move forward. These cult games are so hard to make because everyone has this super specific idea in their head of what this series means to them. I have a distinct idea of what I'd want of the next Silent Hill game to be. And you have yours, probably similar but with some key differences here and there. We've built it up in our minds.

So it's a monumental task to revive a dead cult favorite series like this. You have to walk this fine line between respecting the source material and bringing it up to date while meeting these abstract, undefinable demands gamers have of a series like this. No easy task for the most savvy, well-resourced developers in the world to pull off.

And Bloober... I mean God bless them but they aren't even in the same weight class that would be required to even have much of any chance to pull this complex task off. I'm a big horror game buff and I've played their games and like them well enough, but I see what they've done and it's not gonna cut it.

The reason that disappoints me isn't just because we may get a mediocre Silent Hill game, the real worry is it will sell poorly, causing Konami to retire the IP. And who knows, maybe it won't do well and Konami will retire from the games industry entirely, dragging all their beloved franchises away with them. All highly hypothetical scenarios that I hope do not happen.

But you are right, despite their previous output, we can't pre-judge this thing. But this announcement, if it is what we think it is, just put the entire series' future on even shakier ground.

But yes, to bring it back to your point, we need to detach ourselves emotionally from all these impossible expectations we've built, and PT was part of that.