Opinion: Shut Up About Silent Hill - I Just Don't Care Anymore
It's been 23 years since Harry Mason first stepped into the tormented town of Silent Hill, and while Konami's haunting horror series has always lived in the shadow of Capcom's Resident Evil, it's left behind quite the legacy. Sadly, the well-documented collapse of Silent Hills means the series has been "silent" for a decade - making me question if it will ever return, and if it does, whether it will be worth the wait.
From Heather's mirror scene to Midwitch High School being a hellementary nightmare, Eileen's giant head to the icon that is Pyramid Head, Silent Hill has cemented itself as a sinister spectre of the gaming industry that's never been far from our thoughts.
The problem comes from the plague of rumours that bombard us on a now weekly basis. It means even die-hard fans feel like they're sometimes trapped in a waking nightmare from the games themselves. As Konami sits on its laurels and celebrates its most profitable year ever - yep, we don't know how either - the Silent Hill name likes dormant... or does it?
Stop Hyping Silent Hill
Click to enlargeWhile Silent Hill rumours were once limited to maybe the odd story once a month about Konami losing the rights to the domain or Pyramid Head's designer saying he hates his own creation, we've lost track of how many times we're reported on "leaks" that the series is coming back. Only recently, screenshots of a supposed revival have been doing the rounds online and stirred that fearsome fandom all over again.
If a full-blown reboot wasn't enough of a big deal, there are reports that the beloved Silent Hill 2 could be getting a new-gen overhaul for PlayStation 5. Remembering the 2001 game is held by many as the best the series had to offer, it could be a major win. Throwing fuel on the funeral pyre, the CEO of Bloober Team (supposedly the studio behind the remake) has refused to confirm or deny whether it's working on Silent Hill 2.
Even auteur Hideo Kojima struggles to escape the shadow of Silent Hills. Every time he so much as takes a breath, the internet (we're guilty of this), jumps on the idea that he could bring Silent Hills back from the dead. It's been seven years and counting since Sony pulled the plug on P.T., and although some of its ideas could pop up in the mythical return to Silent Hill, we should probably give up on the idea of it ever returning in its original form with Norman Reedus in tow.
We'll Listen When Konami Speaks Up
Click to enlargeA recurring whisper is that all of this was supposed to be announced at last year's E3. As a further twist of the knife, the fact E3 2022 has been cancelled has us feeling that another year of "silence" could pass us by. A small glimmer of hope is the fact all the supposed E3 announcements will be unveiled at June 9's Summer Game Fest. Then again, prepare to be disappointed.
Bloober told IGN it will announce its future projects "as soon as we can", so expect to find out whether it's Silent Hill or we're completely off the mark soon. We'd also be amiss without mentioning the bizarre incident of Sony's Abandoned. The relatively unknown Blue Box Studio was working on a cryptic title for PS5, that was speculated as everything from a secret Kojima game to a Metal Gear return.
The problem with Silent Hill rumours is the fact they're never just a singular thing - they always come with some expanded circle of leaks that have us speculating about something else. You only have to look at those reports Sony will acquire Kojima Productions to see it in action. It's getting painful, and even when/if someone announces what's next for Silent Hill, I won't believe it until it's in my hands. I'm going to level with you, I'd rather sit through Silent Hill: Revelation than have to write about another Silent Hill rumour... and that's coming from a fan.