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Yesterday, Sony Interactive Entertainment updated their PlayStation Studios website banner to include a showcase of games that are offered up exclusively from PlayStation. Typically, the banner only displayed characters from Sony's first-party studios, but the most recent change included one particularly interesting character.
On the new banner, on the far left side, is none other than Sam Porter Bridges from Death Stranding. Bridges now sits in the spot previously occupied by Concrete Genie.
Naturally, this sent social media abuzz with speculation out the wazoo. Did Kojima Productions get acquired by Sony?
It certainly doesn't help matters either that Kojima Productions is currently in the process of relocating their offices. Hell, just them moving offices was enough for some people to suggest that they were acquired by Sony. The move, coupled with the strange banner change were just the start.
Late last night, Hideo Kojima tweeted out the banner image with no additional commentary. Well, that was it then! Kojima Productions was definitely acquired by Sony and is now a part of the PlayStation family!
Well, not quite.
About an hour later, Kojima addressed the wild speculation with word that Kojima Productions is still an independent studio.
Why then did Sony include Sam Bridges on their new banner? It's because Sony owns the Death Stranding IP. It's really as simple as that.
Still, even though Kojima flatly said that his studio is independent, that hasn't stopped anyone from suggesting that he may one day still be acquired by Sony. It also certainly hasn't stopped the truly outlandish conspiracy theorists from continuing to somehow tie Kojima to Abandoned and Blue Box Game Studios. When it comes to that whole conspiracy, there is no tie between Kojima and Blue Box no matter how much people try to wish it into reality. In fact, Blue Box seems to have blown through their budget already and the future of the studio and their project isn't looking too hot.
