Even now, almost six years later, fans of Konami’s beloved survival horror series wonder what could have been had the publisher not cancelled Silent Hills.
The title, for those unfamiliar, was first confirmed at Gamescom way back in 2014 in a fashion like no other. Hideo Kojima, then still part of Konami, announced the surprise release of a demo meant to give fans a taste of his next project. P.T. (Playable Teaser) was promptly made available exclusively for PlayStation 4, surpassing more than a million downloads in less than a month, no doubt causing a freak wave of fear-induced insomnia in the process.
Players who managed to complete the trial were treated to a trailer featuring The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus for Silent Hills, with Kojima himself said to head the project. Sadly, the industry legend’s split with his former employer ultimately prompted Konami to cancel the project – apparently preferring instead to use the license for gambling machines – leaving P.T. as a constant reminder of what could have been.
Despite its short nature, Kojima’s proof of concept remains one of the most critically acclaimed horror games of all time, and while Silent Hills is unlikely to ever be resurrected, that hasn’t stopped fans from returning for repeated playthroughs. Modder Lance McDonald, likewise, has taken it upon themselves go exploring in-game beyond the boundaries of what was originally intended to be seen and made a massive discovery in the process.
As it turns out, the trailer played at P.T.‘s climax was created in-engine, and Lance, having figured out how to access the very same area by altering the game’s files, has presented their findings. While much of what’s shown is clearly unfinished assets that were never meant to be seen, the moody lighting and atmosphere as McDonald explores the streets is felt in every step. Sadly, we’ll never know what the finished product would have looked like, but it’s a fascinating find, nonetheless.
