With Konami updating its Silent Hill trademark, what does it mean for the franchise's future?

Many of Konami's gaming properties have achieved international success, with Silent Hill being one of the company's most highly regarded series. After a lengthy period of silence, Konami has taken shocking and unexpected action that might indicate that a new official Silent Hill game is in the works.

Silent Hills was canceled in 2015, and there was no news about the distinctive horror series after that. Silent Hill as a franchise seemed to come to an end with the resignation of big-name developers like Hideo Kojima and Norman Reedus.

However, the fictional town has featured on a collection of updated trademarks that the publisher has regained, expanding the franchise's potential.

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Silent Hill has now been retrieved as an IP according to Konami's latest trademark list

LongJonSilver, a Reddit member, shared screenshots and links of the company's Digital Entertainment trademarks, clearly indicating Silent Hill among other company's IPs. As previously stated in press comments, this suggests that the company is ready to produce newly acquired titles.

The company looks to be attempting to stretch out with more complex technological accomplishments to compete in the contemporary gaming landscape with its IP.

Other developers have been employing VR software to recreate the P.T. demo, so the company may choose to follow suit in the future to match the intensity experienced in previous titles like the second installment.

After letting the game's trademark lapse, a third party purchased it to tease Konami. Konami has revised the trademark, ostensibly in reaction to the lawsuit, but the document's insertion of various information has reignited fan interest in the property.

However, due to the publisher's silence on previously updated trademarks, it is uncertain whether a new game will be produced. Despite several reports surrounding the return of Silent Hills after a seven-year hiatus, it remains to be seen if the company will be able to bring the psychological horror classic back to life.

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The Silent Hill franchise

Silent Hill is a psychological horror franchise that debuted in 1999 and was developed and distributed by Konami. Since its inception, the video game series has gained widespread critical acclaim and has transformed the survival horror genre.

"Silent Hill" is the titular title for all areas distributed globally, making it a rarity for a Japanese horror game. The series is named after the fictional American resort town of Silent Hill, which serves as the setting for most games.