Konami’s updated trademark listing shows that Silent Hill has been unexpectedly renewed under the name of a new IP.
After the Silent Hills project was canceled in 2015, the gaming community had very little news about this unique horror series. S
Konami is the owner of numerous game franchises that have reached enormous international appeal, with Silent Hill being one of the most critically acclaimed series. After a long absence of new titles, Konami has made a sudden and surprising move that could hint at a new official Silent Hill game in development.
After the Silent Hills project was canceled in 2015, the gaming community had very little news about this unique horror series. The departure of established creators like Hideo Kojima and Norman Reedus feels like the permanent end of the Silent Hill series. However, the Silent Hill name has appeared on an updated collection of trademarks that Konami has recalled, opening up many possibilities for a revival of the brand.
The source of this revelation comes from chizai-watch, a Japanese brand website that allows tracking of purchased domains. Reddit user LongJonSilver posted screenshots and links of trademarks now owned by Konami Digital Entertainment, clearly showing Silent Hill and other Konami IPs. This shows that Konami is ready to develop new games by these brands, as mentioned in their previous press statements.
Upon a closer look at the brands and merchandise catalogs, rumors of an all-new Silent Hill game add even more weight. The examples listed include “virtual reality headsets,” “game software,” and the somewhat odd “exercise training simulator.” It seems Konami is looking to develop more advanced technological achievements to bring its IP into the competitive modern gaming scene. Other developers have recreated the PT demo using VR software, so Konami may choose to continue this trend in the future to match the tone seen in previous games like Silent Hill 2.
Recently, the Silent Hill trademark was acquired by a third party to harass Konami after it expired. Konami’s trademark update may have been in response to the incident, but the addition of some details in the document has gamers talking about the resurgence of the franchise once again. It’s just that at the moment it’s unclear whether a new game will be developed by Konami as the studio has remained relatively quiet regarding previously updated franchises.
Despite the various rumors surrounding Silent Hills’ revival after spending 7 years in development hell, it remains to be seen if Konami can revive the psychological horror genre of the title. Fans of the mysterious Silent Hill series are still holding out hope that Konami’s attempt to maintain ownership of the old franchises will be the first step on the road to releasing brand new titles.
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