While the emphasis on combat in the latest Silent Hill title – Silent Hill f – might have been divisive, Konami wants to assure fans of the series that not all future games will be like that. In an interview with IGN Japan during Tokyo Game Show 2025 (translation via Automaton Media), producer Motoi Okamoto spoke about how Silent Hill f won’t serve as the blueprint for future games in the series.
Okamoto addressed the fact that Silent Hill f’s emphasis on challenging combat might be divisive, but “Of course, that doesn’t mean every future Silent Hill will be like Silent Hill f.” Rather, he notes that “Each one will have its own distinct flavor. We want to keep experimenting and be ambitious, both in terms of gameplay design and storytelling, so please look forward to the next Silent Hill as well.”
He further elaborated on this idea in a social media post, noting that Konami wants to approach new styles of gameplay with future Silent Hill titles. He did, however, note that some elements would be carried over, with the most important one of these being a high quality story.
“As mentioned in the interview, not all future Silent Hill games will have gameplay like f; rather, we aim to create a series that is always challenging in a positive way, offering a different flavor of gameplay with each title,” he wrote.
“Of course, some things will remain unchanged, and the most important of these is the quality of the story. We firmly believe that a psychological story is essential to the essence of Silent Hill, and we will continue to focus on this aspect, confidently delivering it in future works.”
Silent Hill f was released in September on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and it has already proven itself to be quite a hit. According to a report from just a couple of days ago, Konami noted that it had already sold more than a million copies, before also going on to mention that it was selling at a quicker pace than last year’s Silent Hill 2 remake. For context, Silent Hill 2 had managed to sell more than a million copies in its first week, before eventually crossing the 2 million mark in the span of a few months.
Okamoto has also made a note of Silent Hill f’s success and positive reception, while also noting that Higurashi When They Cry creator Ryukishi07 handling the narrative for the title was the right call.
“I’m thrilled that [Silent Hill f] received a Metascore of 86, tying with the Silent Hill 2 remake,” wrote Okamoto on X. “With Japan as the setting, Mr. Ryukishi07 handling the scenario, and a combat-focused game design, I had a feeling it might divide opinions given all the challenging elements, but I’m truly grateful for such high praise.”
“Even amid the mixed reception, the story has been almost universally acclaimed by all media outlets, so entrusting it to Mr. Ryukishi07 was absolutely the right call. I think this is a work that fans of Mr. Ryukishi07, as well as Silent Hill fans, can both enjoy and recommend.”
For more details about Silent Hill f, check out our review.
It’s interesting to see how the direction of the Silent Hill series is evolving. The focus on combat in Silent Hill f seems to be a bold choice that will spark discussions among fans. Looking forward to seeing how this decision influences future titles!
I agree, the evolution of the series is certainly intriguing! It’s also worth noting how the shift in gameplay mechanics might attract new players while challenging long-time fans to adapt to a different kind of experience.