When Konami enlistedLayers of FearandObserver developer Bloober Team to take on the ambitious job of remaking the originalSilent Hill 2, it was a proposition that some found potentially contentious. While it was admittedly a somewhat rocky road to release, whenSilent Hill 2 Remakehit the market last October, it quickly garnered high praise from players and critics. The 2024 version was noted for its modern-inspired but respectfully faithful take on one ofgaming’s psych-horror masterpieces. Bloober then swiftly followed this up with the news that it had been developing a third-person horror-action title for its own original IP titledCronos: The New Dawn.
Cronos: The New Dawnperhaps caught fans unaware, since its reveal came so quickly afterSH2 Remake, and that it was widely assumed its next project would be connected to Konami’s series. This year’s upcoming entry in the franchise,Silent Hill f,is instead developed by Neobards Entertainment, and is now set to release on September 25. This happens to put it in proximity toCronos' recently announced launch window, and creates a bit of an unorthodox situation between them all.
There’s a Potentially Unintentionally Strange Rift Now Between Cronos: The New Dawn and Silent Hill f
To be clear, no party involved has expressed or implied any ill-will towards the others. WithSilent Hill 2 Remakebeing so successful and earning both studios no small amount of goodwill and sales, it was reasonably assumed this partnership would continue. Indeed, it’s known thatBloober has a deal with Konamito produce more content for one of the latter’s IPs. While this project might not necessarily beSilent Hill-related, it’s reasonable to think it is highly likely, and there are no known plans to cease an enterprise that has proven productive so far. Instead, a confluence of circumstances has conspired to possibly create an inadvertent divide, though one that actually may be a boon for horror gamers.
Silent Hill f and Cronos: The New Dawn’s Releases and Deeper Connections Make for an Interesting Situation
Silent Hill 2 Remakesimultaneously put Konami and the series back at the forefront of the genre and elevated Bloober Team to a horror developer at the top of its game. Many looked excitedly towards what they would do next, with perhaps aremake ofSilent Hill 1or3a natural follow-up. Bloober pivoting to focus onCronos: The New Dawnrelatively soon afterSH2 Remakewas largely unexpected. And with the likelihood that it’s not done working withSilent Hilleither, this displays a lot of confidence in its next original project. But withSilent Hillalso heating up, largely thanks to the remake, and the upcoming experimental new entry,Silent Hill f,dropping later this year, it does place it andCronos: The New Dawnin a position where they may be indirectly in conflict.
Konami also hasSilent Hill Townfallon the docket, being developed by No Code, though much less is known about it for now.
Silent Hill fis set to followSilentHill 2 Remakeroughly one year later, whileCronos: The New Dawdid not receive a firm date with its most recent trailer, but it is stated to have a Fall window. They will thus be out around the same time in the often crowded Fall season.If nothing else, the two are AAA horror titles that will be competing for players' money and time. This commitment is of course doubled for fans who decide to pick up both. Bloober Team delivered a smash hit for Konami last year withSilent Hill 2 Remake.Now, its next game may have to compete with the very franchise it helped reinvigorate.
Of course, nothing substantial may come of this in the long run, and it currently appears that neither Bloober, Konami, nor NeoBards are particularly concerned or in any way at odds with each other regarding the situation. Still, it’s an interesting conflux of events given the relationships between the parties involved, and will be one to watch as their launch dates arrive. Optimally,Silent Hill fandCronos: The New Dawnboth delivertop-tier horror experiencesand continue to provide success for all involved in their creation.
