Hideo Kojima Speaks On The Passing Of ‘OD’ Star Udo Kier; Actor’s Death Comes Before His Shoot For The Game

Just this past summer, Hideo Kojima shipped the anticipated sequel Death Stranding 2: On The Beach. In our 9.5/10 review for the game, we said the title “is a profound and masterful achievement that blends innovative gameplay, cinematic storytelling, and technical excellence into a cohesive and unforgettable experience.” Looking ahead, there are other anticipated titles coming from Kojima Productions too.

Previously, it was revealed that a new espionage PlayStation exclusive codenamed Physint is in development. Additionally, there is also another title on the way under Xbox Game Studios – OD. The title is said to be wholly realized thanks to Xbox Cloud Gaming architecture. It was reported that the game was deemed safe from the unloading layoffs internally at Xbox. There was even a teaser shown at Tokyo Game Show earlier this fall.

And while the project is still being pieced together – whatever it is exactly – there is a new obstacle that was tossed in front of its wheels. Actor Udo Kier was reported to have passed away at the age of 81. The German actor was already casted for OD, but did not shoot for the project due to the SAG-AFTRA strike rescheduled for 2026. On X, Kojima wrote a statement on the passing of Kier.

“I’m at a loss for words. It all happened far too suddenly. Because of the strike, we weren’t able to shoot ‘OD’ for a long time, and we were forced to reschedule to next year. Even during that time, Udo and I exchanged emails frequently. We stayed in close contact. When we met in Milan at the end of September, he told me how much he was looking forward to the shoot starting up again next year,” Kojima in the statement says.

Previously, Kojima spoke on the uphill battle he fought for OD to be greenlit. He revealed that the ambition for the project was not understood by many publishers and only Xbox Game Studios understood the vision he had for it to be realized. You can read the full report by heading here.