Death Stranding 2

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, the much-anticipated sequel to Hideo Kojima's 2019 game, is set to release on June 26, 2025, exclusively for PlayStation 5. This announcement was made during a panel at SXSW 2025, accompanied by a new 10-minute trailer that provided deeper insights into the game's narrative and mechanics. ​

Plot and Setting

Set 11 months after the formation of the United Cities of America (UCA), Death Stranding 2 explores a world where deliveries have become automated, potentially rendering traditional porters like Sam obsolete. The environment continues to be affected by chiralium from the Beach, leading to various anomalies. A new faction emerges, challenging the existing order and adding layers of complexity to the storyline. Kojima has reworked the script to reflect his experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting themes of connection and isolation will be central to the narrative. ​

Gameplay

While specific gameplay details remain under wraps, the trailer hints at a blend of familiar and new mechanics. Players can expect the return of the unique traversal system from the original game, combined with new challenges and environments. The presence of a new faction and the evolving world dynamics suggest that players will face fresh obstacles and moral dilemmas. ​

Editions and Pre-Order Bonuses

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach will be available in several editions:

• Standard Edition: Priced at $69.99.​

• Digital Deluxe Edition: Priced at $79.99, includes additional in-game content such as skins and early weapon unlocks, along with 48-hour early access starting June 24.​

• Collector's Edition: Priced at $229.99, features physical items like a letter from Hideo Kojima, postcards, a keychain of the sequel's eerie marionette, a 40-centimeter figure of one of the game's enemies, and all Digital Deluxe Edition content.​

Pre-orders begin on March 17, 2025, at 10:00 AM local time. Pre-order bonuses include a quokka hologram and three silver skins for the exoskeleton. ​

Music and Additional Content

In addition to the game's release, Kojima announced "The Strands of Harmony World Tour," a concert series featuring music from Death Stranding 2. The tour will visit 19 cities, starting on November 8, 2025, in Sydney, Australia, and will showcase live orchestral performances that aim to immerse fans deeper into the game's universe. ​

Glossary of Terms

To assist both new and returning players, here's a glossary of key terms associated with the Death Stranding universe:

• BB (Bridge Baby): An infant connected to equipment that allows porters to sense BTs. ​

• BT (Beached Thing): Supernatural entities originating from the Beach, often invisible and dangerous. ​

• Chiral Network: A communication system utilizing chiralium to transmit data instantaneously across vast distances. ​

• Chiralium: A mysterious substance that became detectable after the Death Stranding event, used in various technologies but hazardous in large quantities. ​

• DOOMS: A condition granting individuals varying abilities to sense or interact with the Beach and BTs. ​

• The Beach: A liminal space between the world of the living and the afterlife, unique to each individual. ​

• Timefall: A type of rain that accelerates the aging process of anything it touches, posing significant challenges to porters. ​

• Voidout: A catastrophic explosion resulting from a BT consuming a living human, leaving massive craters and devastation.

• MULEs: Rogue couriers obsessed with stealing cargo, often attacking legitimate porters to obtain goods. ​

• Odradek Scanner: A mechanical sensor attached to porters, used to detect BTs and scan the environment for cargo and threats.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach promises to expand upon the rich lore and innovative gameplay of its predecessor, offering players a profound experience that explores themes of connection, isolation, and survival in a transformed world.

Can't wait to play the sequel? Play the first game, Death Stranding now.