Silent Hill designer clarifies that it's snow, not ash, in Silent Hill

Few horror series in games are as talked about or discussed as Silent Hill. And while there’s plenty of fascinating material in them, Masahiro Ito would like to clarify one point in particular: that’s snow, not ash, in Silent Hill.

[masterfox]

finally know, always had that concern for decades!, now I can move forward with my life :D

[P_Bomb]

But but…the movie said it’s ash!

[DeathTouch]

The movie has a different overall story behind the city.

[Knightofelemia]

How about designing a new SH game.

[Mazgamer]

I think explaining things in your video game, movie, or book, that are not technical or related to certain challenges with the process is a thing you should never do. My man just extinguished 22 years of speculation in a once sentence, and for what?

A lot of people probably thought it's ash because it kinda makes more sense plot and setting-wise. While others just assumed it was snow. Those ideas could have coexisted before, but now they cannot. This is a minute detail and I don't think anyone is going to war in the comment section over this "reveal", but fuck me, it's tiring to look at interviews with directors and writers and hear the question "what did you mean by this, what does this symbolize, is this theory correct?".

I wish they would straight up start answering "shut the fuck up and figure it out yourself coward. Or watch someone's cool-ass theory on youtube".

[Puty]

You are totally proving Ito-san point though. In the first game doctor Kaufman specifically said it is snow. Then movie came with its own idea and people who didn't play SH1 then spread the idea that it was ash in the game as well even though that wasn't the case.

[Mazgamer]

Which is completely not the point of my comment, btw. Because it's not about the snow/ash, it's about the creators talking about their works.

[deleted]

I think because the Ash idea was actually a pretty creative idea. But I'm fine with this, because it's what the original creator wanted. Not ALL Hollywood game ideas suck.... just most of them. XD

[shaenoide]

Basically what you are saying is that we should let people make their own interpretation without always trying to explain everything to them?

[Mazgamer]

I'm more so saying that creators shouldn't explain certain things in their work, because they are the only people who know for sure. If I, you, or some youtube come up with an interpretation, and then spread that interpretation to others, that's perfectly fine. It creates discussion, theories, and collaborative speculation. If the creator says "yeah that guy symbolizes this, this and that", then the mystery is gone.

And if no one can figure out what something means in a story, and the creator NEEDS to step in and explain, then the story fails on its own merits, plain and simple.

[DrDoomer]

The snowflakes would fall to the ground and melt away, ain't nobody thought it was ash, dude.
And no, you're not a coward if you want to know actual facts and clear up speculation. Nor are you brave for coming up with some wonky fan fiction.

[VanDamme]

I like this thought process! How far should we take this? I think we’d agree that the creators shouldn’t put a title on their games. Any dialog describing what’s happening on the screen should be removed. Dialog such as this would still be permitted:

Jake: “Hello person.”

Amanda: “Yes other biological entity emitting sounds?”

Jake: “Let’s proceed further in whatever direction this way is and do something for the sake of some reason!”

[MrBaskerville]

But this clarification makes things more vague in a good way. The ash idea is just an attempt to explain the unexplainable other world.

"It's weird and creepy because: Fire!"

[CWheatley]

"but fuck me"

🤷

[shaenoide]

Even the movies are wrong 😂

The movies are wrong.... Period though

[DrDoomer]

Yeah no s#it. When they said ash in the movie I was like wtf is this crap? I was saying that a lot throughout the movie. The only thing they got right was the music (that they lifted directly from the games).

[FPS_D3TH]

Movies really not that bad. Movie got a lot more right than what you claim regardless of its liberties. Probably one of the best game to movie adaptations regardless of what it stayed true to

[DrDoomer]

The whole thing is one big liberty. For those who don't care about the source material, on it's own merits it might be okay. As an adaptation it's shocking.

[BrainSyphoned]

Konami clarifies that its IP are ashes.

[wenaldy]

But the first movie is good though. Sean Bean is finally alive.

[Sprinter24]

I remember wondering why they changed it to ash for the movie.