Silent Hill 2 Remake Developer Reveals How it Convinced Konami to Make the Game
The developer behind the Silent Hill 2 remake has revealed how it got the job to resurrect the iconic horror game for a new generation. Silent Hill is one of gaming's greatest horror franchises, so much so that it has even managed to spin out into somewhat decent movies. However, despite being a massive deal in the 2000s, it faded away as Konami seemed to be less and less interested in AAA video game releases during the last generation. However, that seems to be changing as there's a ton of Silent Hill content coming over the next few years.
One of those projects is Silent Hill 2 remake from Bloober Team, a developer that didn't work on the original release, but has made other horror games like Blair Witch and The Medium. Given they're not owned by Konami or anything like that, they had to work to earn the privilege to work on this remake. When speaking to DreadXP (via VGC), Bloober's chief marketing officer Anna Jasińska had to directly compete with other studios to work on Silent Hill 2 remake. The studio was invited by Konami to attend Tokyo Game Show in 2019 with a pitch and concept for a remake of the game. Konami was thrilled with the pitch and the rest is history, but it did mean that the studio began to feel the pressures of taking on such a massive project.
"The idea of working on this project stalked us for many years, and in 2019, we received an invitation from Konami to participate in the Tokyo Games Show," said Jasińska. "To our delight, Konami asked us to prepare a concept for a remake of the original game's second installment in exchange for the opportunity of bringing the concept to life. Of course, we weren't the only contenders. Many other studios were vying for cooperation as well, but in the end, our concept was the one that stole Konami's heart. They recognized our commitment and passion for horror, and that alone was an enormous distinction for us. Our company was thunderstruck when we received this ecstatic information because many of Bloober Team's employees are die-hard fans of the title. As for apprehension, yes, the pressure is high since we're dealing with one of the best psychological horror games ever made. We want to stick close to the original, and we will put it in the spotlight for years to come."
Only time will tell how Silent Hill 2 remake turns out. Bloober Team has been criticized in the past for how it deals with themes like trauma, leading to all kinds of controversy. Given that's at the center of Silent Hill 2, many are waiting to see how the studio tackles such big themes.
Are you excited for Silent Hill 2 remake? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.