Silent Hill: The Short Message explained — Release date & questions answered
It really is a short message.
Konami surprised everyone when it revealed Silent Hill: The Short Message during the January 2024 PlayStation State of Play live stream.
The Short Message was shown alongside the latest update for the anticipated Silent Hill 2 remake, and it was revealed that fans of the horror series could download and play the new bonus game shortly after the State of Play presentation!
This brand new short slice of horror is seen as a potential entry point into the classic series by Konami, as it isn’t tied into any other Silent Hill game. You can play it without having played any previous entries.
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Read on to discover everything there is to know about the Silent Hill: The Short Message release date, what it is, whether it’s free to play, how long it takes to complete and if it has trophy support.
When is the Silent Hill: The Short Message release date?
The Silent Hill: The Short Message release date was 31st January 2024. It launched exclusively on PS5 following a PlayStation State of Play presentation on the same day.
This means you can play the digital-only horror game right now. Just head on over to the PlayStation Store to add the game to your library and download it.
Sorry, Xbox and PC gamers, this one is a PS5 exclusive, for now at least. Who knows what the future holds, though?
What is Silent Hill: The Short Message?
Silent Hill: The Short Message is a new Silent Hill game that was surprise-revealed during Sony’s PlayStation State of Play presentation on 31st January 2024.
Officially, it is "an all-new modern Silent Hill experience, powered by the latest in-game technology".
Check out the Silent Hill: The Short Message reveal trailer:
The PlayStation Store listing also details the game’s plot: "Following messages from her friend Maya, Anita finds herself at a crumbling apartment block, infamous for rumours of suicides.
"Drawn inside, Anita soon finds her sense of reality shattered as she encounters bizarre, otherworldly spaces, haunted by a twisted monster.
"Maya's message was clear — 'can't leave 'til you find it' — but what is it that Anita is really looking for?"
If you’re new to the Silent Hill series, fret not, as Silent Hill: The Short Message is a brand new entry that is entirely independent from the rest of the series. You can happily play it if you’re new to the franchise.
How to play Silent Hill: The Short Message
To play Silent Hill: The Short Message, you need to download it from the PlayStation Store on your PS5.
It is a PS5 exclusive, meaning you cannot play on PS4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch or PC.
That’s all there is to it. Head onto your PS5, go into its Store, find Silent Hill: The Short Message and add it to your library.
Once it is in your library, you can download and install the game ready to be played.
Before you dive into the game, though, a word of warning. As Konami puts it, "This title contains depictions of suicide, self-harm, abuse, trauma and bullying that may be distressing to some users."
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Is Silent Hill: The Short Message free?
Yes, Silent Hill: The Short Message is free to download and play. You can head onto the PlayStation Store right now to add the game to your library and then install it.
You do not have to pay anything to play Silent Hill: The Short Message. If you’re feeling up to it, go ahead and get playing already!
What is the Silent Hill: The Short Message length?
Silent Hill: The Short Message is around two hours in length. That is according to those who have entered their stats into HowLongToBeat.com, anyway.
It really is a short message, and you won’t be spending long with Anita, with the longest times to complete listed on How Long to Beat sitting at just over two-and-a-half hours.
Just over two hours of game for free isn’t a bad deal, though.
Does Silent Hill: The Short Message have trophies?
Silent Hill: The Short Message does not have trophies. This has been confirmed now that the free-to-play game has been released. You cannot earn PSN trophies by playing through The Short Message.
While it’s a shame that the game doesn’t have trophies, it’s not too surprising. Free games on PS5 don’t have to feature trophy support – many do, but that’s a choice by the development team.
Konami could decide to add trophies to The Short Message at some point in the future, but that’s not something you can count on.
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Authors
Toby Saunders is a freelance writer specialising in Video Game journalism. He has a wealth of experience in the field and is published on many different websites including PCGamesN, Nintendo Life and Pocket Tactics. He has a degree in Film Studies (he gets to write about Film and TV occasionally, too).
