Death Stranding 2: Everything we know so far

Death Stranding 2 is set to launch on PS5 in 2025, with creative director Hideo Kojima finally confirming the title of this long-awaited sequel back in February. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach will plunge us back into a strange and unpredictable world beyond the borders of the UCA. Returning protagonist Sam Porter Bridges will be attempting to connect a new population together, all while traversing a world beset by otherworldly enemies, unpredictable conditions, and even more challenging environments.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach looks far more ambitious than its predecessor, so we're eagerly awaiting to see if this follow-up can capture the energy of the original Death Stranding and surpass what is still considered to be one of the best PS4 games of all time. A lengthy gameplay preview aside, though, Kojima is keeping the visuals close to his chest. The most recent sneak peek from the man himself has given fans a glimpse of the Death Stranding 2 loading screen as it's currently looking at this stage in development, though Kojima warns it is unlikely to say that way for long.

This isn't the only new game from Hideo Kojima in development either, with OD production at Xbox (and looking like one of the best upcoming horror games) and Physint – a mysterious new PS5 exclusive that's set to land in the "action espionage" genre. 

Either way, Death Stranding 2 is one of our most anticipated upcoming PS5 games and we can't wait to see more. To get yourself caught up, keep reading to find everything you need to know about Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. 

Death Stranding 2 news

• Hideo Kojima shows 9 seconds of Death Stranding 2 title screen footage and warns that it's "very much temporary"
• Hideo Kojima says he's working on Death Stranding 2's "specs and flow," and adding details, abating fan fears of a larger overhaul
• Hideo Kojima teases Tokyo Game Show appearance, and all signs point to Death Stranding 2 as Xbox skips the event and PlayStation returns for the first time since the PS5 reveal 5 years ago
• Death Stranding 2's filming and recording is complete, but now it's entering an "adjustment phase" that'll last for over a year

Death Stranding 2 release date speculation

Kojima Productions has confirmed that Death Stranding 2 will launch sometime in 2025, though a first release date has not been given. 

However, we do know that we'll be getting the full release date sometime next year. During the Tokyo Game Show 2024 broadcast, director Kojima clarified that while we aren't getting any news right now, Death Stranding 2 is still on its way, and we'll have updates soon. "Since we are talking about 2025, it will be released next year, and we will announce it at some point next year. But due to unforeseen circumstances, we cannot announce it today," he said. 

We don't know what the unforeseen circumstances mentioned above are. Still, at least we know that the full official title for this new PS5 exclusive is Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Stay tuned for updates as more release date news heads our way next year. 

Death Stranding 2 platforms

Death Stranding 2 has been confirmed for PS5, and Kojima Productions is yet to reveal whether it will arrive on other platforms. 

When Death Stranding launched in 2019, it did so as a PS4 exclusive. Publisher 505 Games later helped bring Death Stranding to PC in 2020, while Death Stranding: Director's Cut was later brought to PS5 and PC Game Pass. Were we to speculate for a second: It's highly likely that Death Stranding 2 is being developed as a PS5 exclusive, given how heavily involved PlayStation Studios is with its production, but there is every chance that it will come to PC eventually – given how heavily Sony continues to invest in the space outside of the core PlayStation ecosystem. 

Death Stranding 2 trailer

Kojima Productions revealed the first Death Stranding 2 trailer at The Game Awards 2022. The four-minute long teaser trailer didn't show any direct gameplay, but it did give us a sense of how the world and characters have changed since Sam Porter Bridges removed his Cuff links and severed his connection with the Bridges corporation. Naturally, there's a lot to unpack in here, and Death Stranding 2 director Hideo Kojima teases that "You've just seen the trailer, and I've put a lot of things inside, so I want you to talk about it and find details in it."

We also recently got some new Death Stranding 2 footage during the 2024 Tokyo Game Show. In Part 1 (which you can see for yourself down below) we meet Fragile again and are introduced to the new character Tarman. Tarman is voiced by none other than Mad Max director George Miller, which is super cool. We also get a closer look at a submarine that we'll be using in-game.

In Part 2 we see a clip of two young girls discussing their past and one of their pregnancies. The two characters are introduced as Tomorrow and Rainy. Tomorrow is voiced by none other than Elle Fanning. Although, in this clip not much gameplay is shown and it's unclear how we'll be working with the two in the future as of right now.

Part 3 shows us Heartman again, and is very interesting as it's filled with eerie vibes. However, Part 4 is one of the most exciting new clips, as it shows off the game's new photo mode. The teaser demonstrates how characters will pose and react to the camera, making all your photos look more polished and cool. Personally, we can't wait to get our hands on it!

Death Stranding 2 screenshots

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With these new Death Stranding 2 screenshots, you can get a better look than ever before at the weird, dangerous world that Kojima Productions is crafting for this long-awaited sequel. While the natural draw is some of the A-list talent Hideo Kojima has drawn to this project, these screenshots also show off some of the larger than life environments and combat encounters we'll experience in the final game. Be sure to scroll through the gallery above to see them all. 

Death Stranding 2 engine

Death Stranding 2 will be powered by Decima, the proprietary game engine created by Guerrilla Games. The studio's engine is behind Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West, and the original Death Stranding, and has helped set new benchmarks for visual fidelity and the implementation of high-dynamic-range lighting on PS4 and PS5. 

It has been confirmed that while Kojima Productions is leading development of Death Stranding 2, Guerrilla will support the studio for all things Decima. The Performance Capture seen in the Death Stranding 2 trailer was completed with assistance from the PlayStation Studios Visual Arts group, with the uncannily realistic digital humans powered by Epic Games' MetaHuman technology. 

Death Stranding 2 cast

Hideo Kojima has announced the first run of actors set to form the Death Stranding 2 cast. As with the original game, Death Stranding 2 is packed with talent from across the video game and film industries. 

While Kojima Productions is yet to unveil the full cast, we know that Norman Reedus, Lea Seydoux, and Troy Baker are returning following their first outing in 2019, while Elle Fanning (Super 8), Shioli Kutsuna (Deadpool 2), and director George Miller have also joined the cast.

Read the full Death Stranding 2 cast list below:

• Norman Reedus as Sam Porter Bridges
• Lea Seydoux as Fragile
• Troy Baker as Higgs Monaghan
• Elle Fanning as Tomorrow
• Shioli Kutsuna as Rainy
• George Miller as Tarman
• Fatih Akin as Dollman
• Darren Jacobs as Heartman

Death Stranding 2 story

Should we have connected? That's the prevailing message of the first Death Stranding 2 trailers, and there's so many weird and wonderful things happening throughout its four-minute runtime that you'll twist your mind in knots trying to figure it all out. We see what appears to be an older Sam Porter, a fully-healed Fragile, and an extinction entity cult whose leader is wearing Amelie's necklace and haircut, and hiding their face with Higgs' signature death mask. 

There's mention of a new private corporation, APAC (Automated Public Assistance Company), more overt nautical themes, and a potential Fragile Express replacement called Drawbridge – which incorporates both a 'rope' and 'stick' motif. There's also very real indications that we'll be dealing with multiple alternate realities connected via the beach, with potential variants of Sam Porter, BB, Lou, Fragile, and others to contend with. Let's be honest, we'll be unpicking all of this for months (if not years) to come. 

But here's something we do know with 100% certainty: Hideo Kojima scrapped the entire story after the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking at The Game Awards 2022, the director and writer said this of the Death Stranding 2 story: "I had the story written before the pandemic. But after experiencing the pandemic, I just rewrote the whole story from scratch." Kojima then added this comment with a smile, speaking to his uncanny ability to predict events through games like Metal Gear Solid 2 and Death Stranding, "I also didn't want to predict any more futures, so I rewrote it."  

The version of the Death Stranding 2 story remains a closely guarded secret then, although Kojima Productions has given us a hint of what's to come: "In Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, embark on an inspiring mission of human connection beyond the UCA. Sam – with companions by his side –sets out on a new journey to save humanity from extinction. Join them as they traverse a world beset by otherworldly enemies, obstacles, and a haunting question: should we have connected?"

Here's why we hope that Death Stranding 2 is a smarter, leaner adventure than its predecessor – with a wider focus on exploration and social connection.