All Curator Secrets in Directive 8020 – O Death Locations Guide

TL;DR

• There are 5 Curator Secrets in Directive 8020, called O Death secrets.
• You must find the Obol coin in Episode 8 first — nothing else unlocks until you do.
• The other 4 secrets span Episodes 1, 3, and 5. You revisit them using Turning Points.
• Each secret shows a flash of the Curator’s repository.
• Finding all 5 unlocks a full Curator scene and the teaser trailer for the next Dark Pictures game.
• These secrets are a tribute to Tony Pankhurst, the actor who played the Curator, who passed away in May 2024.

What Are the Curator Secrets in Directive 8020?

If you played through Directive 8020 and barely saw the Curator, you are not alone. Unlike previous Dark Pictures games where he appears regularly throughout the story, the Curator is almost completely absent this time — unless you know how to find him.

Supermassive Games hid him behind a special set of collectibles called O Death secrets. There are 5 in total, and they only appear in your game after you find a specific coin in Episode 8 called the Obol. Before that, they simply do not exist in the world. Once you have the Obol, the other four secrets are unlocked across earlier episodes, and you can use the Turning Points system to go back and collect them.

These secrets are also a tribute to the late Tony Pankhurst, the beloved actor who played the Curator across the entire Dark Pictures Anthology. He passed away in May 2024, and Supermassive created this system as a heartfelt memorial. Beyond the emotional significance, finding all 5 also unlocks a teaser trailer for the next Dark Pictures game — so there is plenty of reason to hunt them all down.

Each time you collect one, you get a brief flash of a scene inside the Curator’s repository. Once all 5 are collected, the full Curator scene plays, followed by the trailer.

Step One: Find the Obol Coin in Episode 8

You cannot find any O Death secret until you find the Obol coin first. This is the most important step. Without it, the other four secrets are invisible in the game world.

The Obol is found in Episode 8: Come True, during the Turning Point node called The Way Back. Here is exactly what to do:

• At the start of the scene, walk forward and grab the power cell from the wall on the right side of the door where Eisele is standing.
• Do not go through the main door. Instead, backtrack a short distance to a powered-down vent you passed on your way in.
• Insert the power cell into the vent to open it, then go inside.
• Follow the vent tunnels and use your Utility Strap to solve the server room puzzle — interact with the server racks to lower them and clear a path.
• At the end of the puzzle, you will reach a final room. The Obol coin is on the floor to your left.
• There is also a Simms’ Recording on the wall to your right — grab that too while you are here.

Once you pick up the Obol, the game notifies you that O Death secrets have appeared throughout the story. The Curator will now begin to show up in cutscenes near moments where a character might die, warning you to stay alert.

For a full breakdown of all the recordings in the game, our All Simms’ Recordings in Directive 8020 guide has every location covered.

All 5 Curator Secrets – O Death Locations

Below are all five O Death secrets in the order that makes it easiest to collect them. The first one is the Obol itself, and the remaining four require you to use Turning Points to revisit earlier episodes.

Secret 1 – This Doesn’t Belong Here (Episode 8: The Way Back)

This Doesn t Belong Here

This is the Obol coin described above. It is found at the end of the vent and server room puzzle in Episode 8’s The Way Back section. Collecting this is what unlocks the entire O Death system, so it is always the first one you find.

What you see: A first glimpse of the Curator’s repository. The screen flickers and a short scene shows the Curator’s desk as he begins to stir.

Secret 2 – The Man in the Bowler Hat (Episode 1: Medical)

Use Turning Points to jump back to Episode 1 and the Medical section. Progress through the chapter until you reach the point where power has been restored to Medical and you enter the Medical Reception room.

In the centre of the room, you will see a large circular reception desk. Walk around it until you find the gap to enter the desk area. On the floor behind the desk, you will find Simms’ Personal Log about the Man in the Bowler Hat. Interact with it to collect this O Death secret.

Make sure you pick this up before going through the door that leads to the spacewalk segment, or you will need to rewind again.

What you see: Another flash of the Curator’s repository, with more of his desk and belongings coming into view.

Secret 3 – Paranoia (Episode 3: Search / Mess Hall)

Use Turning Points to jump to Episode 3 and the Search section. Progress through until you reach the larger Mess Hall area. Look to the far right of the Mess Hall for the digital food and drink menu signs on the wall — they look like illuminated restaurant displays.

Just past those signs, on the wall, is a monitor you can interact with. Interact with it to collect the Paranoia secret. It is easy to walk right past if you are not looking for it.

What you see: A third reveal of the Curator’s space, with more of the repository slowly coming together in the flash scenes.

Secret 4 – O_DTH (Episode 5: Radio Silence)

Use Turning Points to jump to Episode 5 and the Radio Silence section. At the very start of this section, immediately turn around and head up the stairs behind you. Walk down the dark corridor in the upper level, heading toward the cockpit area.

About three-quarters of the way down the corridor, on the left side, you will find a terminal to interact with. This gives you the O_DTH secret.

What you see: Another piece of the Curator’s full scene is revealed. You are now one secret away from unlocking everything.

Secret 5 – Bloodlines (Episode 5: Radio Silence)

This final secret is also in Episode 5’s Radio Silence section, but deeper into the chapter. Progress forward through the section and take the elevator up. Head toward the main objective, but do not go through the door. Instead, go down the nearby stairs.

At the bottom, hang a left and go all the way down the hall. Then go up the stairs on your left. At the top of those stairs, on a bench, is the final O Death secret — a data pad you can interact with to collect Bloodlines.

The moment you collect this, the full Curator scene plays. You will finally see him return properly, marking one of the most satisfying moments for long-time Dark Pictures fans.

What you see: The complete Curator scene in full, followed by the teaser trailer for the next Dark Pictures Anthology game.

What Does the Teaser Trailer Show?

Once you collect all 5 O Death secrets, a teaser for the next Dark Pictures game plays automatically. You can also rewatch it anytime from the main menu under Bonus Features.

The trailer opens on a collection of VHS tapes on the floor with labels including “Philip Experiment,” “EVP 2,” and “Retroactive PK.” A tape called “Don’t Play Alone” is inserted and plays. The footage shows people walking in a circle as part of what appears to be a paranormal experiment. A woman is then shown floating mid-air as if possessed. The trailer ends with a voiceover announcing the experiment has reached “Stage 4: Contact.” It is a chilling preview that points toward a supernatural or paranormal setting for the next entry in the series.

Important Things to Know Before You Start

• The Obol must come first. You cannot find any other O Death secret before picking up the Obol coin in Episode 8. Do not waste time looking for the others beforehand — they will not be there.
• These secrets are save-file specific. The Curator and O Death secrets only appear on the save file where you unlocked the Obol. New playthroughs will require you to find it again before accessing them.
• The Curator appears in death moments once unlocked. Even before you collect all 5 secrets, the Curator starts showing up briefly when a character is about to die. This is your cue to be ready for a QTE or important choice.
• Use Turning Points freely. The game makes it easy to jump back to any section. Just pause the game, go to Turning Points, and select the relevant episode. You will not lose your story progress.
• Check the Turning Points menu to track progress. The O Death secrets show up on the Turning Points map once the Obol is collected. This makes it easier to spot which sections still have a secret waiting.

If you are working toward full 100% completion, pair this hunt with our Directive 8020 All Secrets Guide to clean up everything in one run.

How to Watch the Curator Scene and Teaser After the Fact

If the full scene played too fast or you want to rewatch the next game teaser, go to the main menu and select Bonus Features. Both the Curator O Death scene and the Dark Pictures teaser trailer are stored there permanently once unlocked. You do not need to replay the game to watch them again.

Where to Buy Directive 8020

You can pick up the game on PlayStation Store, Xbox, and Steam.

Need help getting smooth performance while exploring? Check our Directive 8020 Best PC Settings guide. And if you want to know how long a full collectible run takes, see our How Long to Beat Directive 8020 guide.

Frequently Asked Questions