Fans devastated by last month’s cancellation of Silent Hills are in good company, as Guillermo del Toro is in that same boat. The game was a collaboration between the Hollywood Director and Hideo Kojima. Not much is really known about the situation, but it stems from issues involving Hideo Kojima and his long-time publisher, Konami. The publisher has stated that it is “committed to new Silent Hill titles”, but that’s of little consolation to the team that was working on Silent Hills, or the fans who were eagerly awaiting it.
Director Guillermo del Toro spoke to IGN in an interview about what Silent Hills could’ve been, saying: “The collaboration between Kojima and myself, the meetings, and the friendship that was developing was beautiful. We had an agreement on where to go. We had an agreement on how we were going to push the new platforms. We were having a blast.”
The situation is made that much worse for Hideo Kojima, Guillermo del Toro, and the fans, since the interactive teaser for Silent Hills that was released at last year’s Gamescom was such a hit. On top of that is the abrupt nature in which Konami pulled that teaser off of the PlayStation Store, and even prevented fans from re-downloading it if they already had it in their library! “Honestly that’s what surprised me. It was a sort of scorched earth approach. It was not a gentle and ambiguous cancellation.” says Guillermo del Toro.
The director had plenty more to say about the game and the Silent Hill series.
“What we wanted to do with the game – and we were very much in agreement on this – was to take the technology and make it as cutting-edge as we could in creating terror in the house. The idea was very, very atmosphere-drenched.”
“But what made Silent Hill so great was that you had the atmosphere but then you had a pay-off with a very active, very intense series of moments. We wanted to do some stuff that I’m pretty sure – just in case it ever comes back, which honestly I would love for somebody to change their mind and we can do it – but in case it comes back there was some stuff that was very new, and I wouldn’t want to spoil it.
“Norman [Reedus, the Walking Dead actor who was attached to play the lead role] was super happy, Hideo was super happy, and so was I. I know there’s a petition going on the internet and it’s gathering signatures. I would add my signature to it, and hope that someone pays attention.”
Guillermo del Toro isn’t just a Hollywood director who wants to play in the arena of video games. He has a passion for the Silent Hill series. “[Silent Hill] hit me at the right time when I played the first one and the second. It’s a truly great mythology and too great a storytelling arena to let die. It’s too good.”
Unfortunately, he has now been hit with the bad luck of two failed projects. The first was Insane, which was cancelled back in 2012 due to the downfall of its publisher, THQ. “Well, you know, I’ve tried twice and I don’t know if I’ll ever come back to the form. In one instance, the company went down, and in the second, the completely unexpected happened, which was Kojima and Konami separating. It’s kind of left me reeling.” lamented Guillermo del Toro.
The Director still has great enthusiasm for the failed project, Silent Hills. He is greatly disappointed by how quickly the project fell apart. Hideo Kojima is no doubt just as disappointed as Guillermo del Toro and the eager fans who were awaiting the game’s completion. Guillermo del Toro had one last thing to say on the matter in his interview with IGN. “Hideo and I have been in touch. And he knows he would be the only guy I would follow to the ends of the earth on anything. I think if anything can be rescued, I will be more than happy.”
