Stranger Things creators The Duffer Brothers have revealed season five of the Netflix hit has been inspired by Resident Evil, Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid video games.
Ahead of the release of Volume Two of Stranger Things’ fifth and final season, Netflix has shared a new documentary that sees creators The Duffer Brothers meeting video game icon Hideo Kojima.
“Stranger Things is a special show to me. I was greatly influenced by works from the ‘80s – John Carpenter for example. Works that incorporate sci-fi, horror, action and Western elements. I grew up watching these mix-genre works and it was so thrilling,” explained Kojima during the ten-minute clip. “Stranger Things felt nostalgic and pulled me back to my roots. It was that meaningful.”
『ストレンジャー・シングス 未知の世界』
小島秀夫 ✕ ダファー兄弟🚨特別対談日本のアニメやゲームに
強い影響を受けたダファー兄弟小島秀夫氏とリスペクトを伝え合いながら
クリエイティブの源泉や、
物語がもつパワーを語り合う。@Kojima_Hideo#ストレンジャーシングス #StrangerThings pic.twitter.com/a6GWFETVwU— Netflix Japan | ネットフリックス (@NetflixJP) December 18, 2025
Ross Duffer said that the big three influences on Stranger Things were the works of John Carpenter, Steven Spielberg and Stephen King, but the pair were also inspired by anime such as Akira and Elfen Lied as well as video games. “Silent Hill really influenced the whole look of the Upside Down and that other dimension. Resident Evil. And of course your masterpiece of Metal Gear Solid as well. Those were all discussed in the room. It was filtered through the lens of how we remembered seeing them and playing them for the first time when we were young but they were just as much a part of Stranger Things as Spielberg.”
“We were fourteen when Metal Gear Solid was released and it absolutely blew our minds,” added Matt. “I think one reason why you had so much influence on us was because it was so different to anything else we were experiencing in the States, so it allowed us, as two kids growing up in North Carolina, to experience this completely different type of storytelling.”
Matt went on to say that each season of Stranger Things was inspired by how Hideo Kojima sequels are never a “photo copy” of what he’s done before. “Even though it worked before, you continue to evolve it, grow it and change it. You challenge yourself and the audience, and that’s what we’ve attempted to do.”
“I think your risk taking is the most inspirational thing to us,” added Ross. “And that goes all the way back to the first Metal Gear Solid. You’re pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and the audience is going along for the ride.”
The next three episodes of Stranger Things season five are due to drop on Netflix on Christmas Day before the finale on New Year’s Day. However, some fans think they’ve worked out how the show will end, thanks to a tweet from 2019. Others are finding clues in a series of Rockin’ Robin playlists that have been released on Spotify.
In other news Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Naughty Dog’s follow-up to The Last Of Us, won’t be released before 2027.