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Hideo Kojima’s outstanding legacy as a game designer showed itself again with Death Stranding, and it’s little surprise a sequel is on its way. After all, offering up a captivating and cinematic game, complete with detailed through-plot and unique elements, appears second nature to Kojima.
Death Strading’s sequel can certainly build upon a universe not yet done with protagonist Sam Porter Bridges and the other-worldly dystopia we join him in. We know a decent amount about the sequel – but before that, do we have an expected Death Stranding 2: On The Beach release date?
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Expected Release Date
Entering its second year since being announced, it feels like Death Stranding’s sequel is gathering pace – particularly due to a State of Play Announce Trailer released on Jan 31, 2024. We know a 2025 release window has been set for the sequel, but is there a more specific Death Stranding 2: On the Beach initial release date?
The answer is not right now. While we can see from the January announcement video that the title looks impressive, there’s no word on a date, month, or season to expect it. All we can do is speculate based on the release of Death Stranding. The original was announced at E3 in June 2016 and released in November 2019 for PS5—three years and five months later.
Following that three-or-so-year cycle, with the Death Stranding 2 announcement happening in December 2022, it may get a quicker turnaround. It would need to be exactly three years to still launch in 2025, and maybe slightly under to get a November release like its predecessor.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Pre-orders
There are no Death Stranding 2: On the Beach pre-orders available right now. If you do see any, we’d urge extreme caution and avoidance. When officially given a release date and price, established stores can offer pre-orders that are available. Third-party stores offering pre-orders ahead of that time should be avoided.
In terms of what may be offered in any Death Stranding 2 pre-orders, they may follow the pre-order and special edition bonuses of the original. Perhaps instead of Death Stranding’s gold items, there could be new unique additions. But it is impossible to say until a pre-order or special edition program is announced.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Price
As is the case with release date and pre-orders, knowing the Death Stranding 2: On the Beach price before it’s made official isn’t yet available. However, considering it’s a AAA game slated for a 2025 release window, we are expecting it to retail for the now industry-standard $70. The first game, from 2019, hit shelves at $60. Even now, several years after the Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, the game retails with a $50 MSRP.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Platforms
Of course, Death Stranding launched on the PS5 before becoming available on Microsoft Windows PCs. The second platform release took eight months, though. At the time of writing, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach’s platforms list is singular with the PS5.
While we don’t know whether the game will get a subsequent release on PC, we’d expect it to be the case. For one thing, the universe crossing over to PC has been established with the first release. Second, it would leave a ‘voidout’-sized crater of sadness in Death Stranding’s PC fan base if it didn’t arrive.
Considering Ghost of Tsushima, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Horizon: Forbidden West, Returnal, and other exclusives made the jump, we’re confident that it’s a matter of when and not if Death Stranding 2: On the Beach on PC happens.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Trailers
Big on immersion but smaller on fanfare, Kojima Productions has only provided two Death Stranding 2: On the Beach trailers so far. We say ‘only,’ but the teaser trailer is four minutes, and the announcement trailer is almost 10 minutes long!
The first is named Death Stranding 2 (Working Title）- TGA 2022 Teaser Trailer, and there is a lot to unpack here. Released on December 8, 2022, it comes before the addition of ‘On the Beach’ to the title, and we’re talking post-Death Stranding explanations, hints and callbacks, evolutions of threads, the main storyline, and much more besides.
Everything from the teaser trailer’s lighting to clues, characters—a new cult-like group unseen before—and a voiceover (as an unknown voice addresses Sam) works to offer plenty of questions. There’s only the shadow of answers that many fans will want. Here are some of the highlights because detailing it all would take a whole lengthy article, such is the depth.
We see Lou living with Fragile? – which suggests Sam did go off the grid at the end of the first game as intended – in what appears to be a prepper bunker. However, Sam isn’t there when flashlight-wielding characters come (seemingly looking to take or kill ‘Louise’). We then see Fragile escape on a motorized unicycle, only to be shot by a hooded character. After Lou and Fragile fall, it’s suggested Lou perhaps repatriates Fragile.
We also get a look at a regenerating BT (beach thing) Lou, the logo of the new Drawbridge corporation, an older or ‘fast-aged’ Sam, a ship with an octopus logo called the DHV Magellan (under Fragile’s command), and Lou telling Sam, “It’s time for you to hit the road and start a new journey.”
We then hear a voice say, “It wasn’t the UCA who made the final decision, but APAC, a private corporation.” Before we see a potentially returned Higgs with an Amelie-esque mask wielding an unusual guitar while backed by robots, the text in this scene shows “BB’s Theme 2022” and then transitions to the words “Should we have connected?” before the final scene where Lou’s pod, held by Sam, seemingly contains an octopus-like BB.
The second Death Stranding 2: On The Beach trailer launched at State of Play in January 2024. it delivers much more and is similarly weighty. Again, to cover it all here would take some time. However, we get more information, in-game footage, and a look at Death Stranding 2: On the Beach gameplay.
We also have some explanations of things from the trailer, with many more questions added. What we see at the trailer opening is a recovered body inside what appears to be a chrysalis, being worked on in a medical bay of what must be the DHV Magellan ship. Fragile is there, working alongside an unknown male character. As the pair work on the body, octopus-like marks are seen on its forearm before tar spits forth. The body’s eyes open and look around.
We also get to see Death Stranding 2: On The Beach’s gameplay elements. Sam, in the service of a ‘civilian’ entity known as Drawbridge, will help Fragile bring more nations into the chiral network – a network now supported by robot porters allowing humans to no longer move around.
As we see Sam on his missions, accompanied by what appears to be a human soul stranded inside a puppet (we don’t know, either!), we’re given truly spectacular in-game visuals and environments. We see rocky, deserted, and city locations, all highly detailed and fully atmospheric. A bridge collapse, a huge landslide, and colossal-looking areas are spotted Fragile says the Death Stranding is “still far from over. Humanity is still in danger. Still on the bridge of extinction…”
We see Sam dodging a huge hand-like tar monster, as we’re told Bridges withdrew from overseeing the distribution network. We also see Sam on a cross-terrain vehicle; as Fragile explains, she closed up shop after Bridges and started a new group, one that works in regions outside the UCA.
After Fragile, we hear the unknown voice from the teaser trailer say, “With the support of the chiral network and APAS, humanity will be free from the need to move around.” As the voice continues with “Bots are capable of handling deliveries”, Sam shoots down a seemingly floating or held-up robot that appears in a sort of standby mode – highlighting a quieter combat element players will be involved in.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach’s graphics look truly bleeding-edge. Source: PlayStation
A key detail in the trailer is the ‘cultists’ seen in the teaser seem to be being led by an Amelie-mask-wearing Higgs. He’s seemingly back for revenge as a cyborg, controlling robot supporters and wielding a guitar with a gun and axe weapon. Higgs, who seemingly controls the distribution of robots also, says to Sam face-to-face, “With guns and violence, the whole damn world could be yours”.
At unwanted attention from Higgs, Sam’s talking puppet companion reacts with aggression – and is confirmed to be influenced by bunraku puppetry in this animation. As Higgs marvels at the BB (Bridge Baby) pod he takes from Sam, seemingly sensing something, we see Higgs attacked by a robot wielding a katana-like sword and speaking… baby babble.
Perhaps it’s under the control of Lou and protecting Sam, but this action-packed fight scene offers a dramatic sequence. As the trailer ends we’re back in the prepper bunker with Sam as dialog between Fragile and Sam discuss Higgs and Lou. Sam offers, “Something he said; you don’t know a goddam thing about Lou”. Fragile answers, “Alright, Sam, let’s see what we can find on Lou”.
As the trailer nears its conclusion, we see a potential flashback to Lou strapped to Sam’s chest and the hint of a slight deception from Fragile and Drawbridge: ” Please understand, Sam. We never meant to string you along.” As the trailer closes, Sam, the DHV Magellan Captain, and an unknown third character discuss the discovery of the chrysalis from the start of the trailer, in which it seems Elle Fanning’s character was found.
Fanning’s character can be seen in the foreground eavesdropping with a bandage on her left forearm. As the returning words “Should we have connected?” appear on the screen, a voice says that after some digging, it appears that BB-28 (BB Lou) was flagged for disposal and incinerated four years ago. But that was “long before you [Sam] and Lou first met.”
The first Death Stranding left a lot of loose threads. The sequel needs to give answers. Source: PlayStation
Latest Death Stranding 2: On the Beach News
The latest Death Stranding 2 news is that the game will be showcased at the Tokyo Game Show on September 29, 2024. According to Kojima Productions’ website, an hour slot is reserved for the game between 10:30 and 11:30 JST (6:30 PM PT / 9:30 PM ET). The panel, led by Kojima, will announce more details about the game, but the studio has been tight-lipped about the specifics.
What is Death Stranding 2: On the Beach?
The sequel to the hit stealth-action title by Hideo Kojima
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is the highly anticipated sequel to Kojima Productions’ 2019 game Death Stranding. In it, Sam Porter Bridges (Norman Reedus’ character) returns to help Fragile extend the chiral network to regions outside of the UCA.
What happened to Lou, why is Higgs back, and what is the mystery surrounding Elle Fanning’s character? These story threads will be explained as players direct Sam throughout the title, connecting regions with Fragile’s Drawbridge organization, battling enemies, and discovering what’s happened in the years since Bridges closed up shop.
The Bottom Line
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach looks to further deliver on the weird, lofty promises of Hideo Kojima’s unbridled mind with its genre-defining gameplay and innovative ideas. If you weren’t a fan of the first Death Stranding, then it’s unlikely the sequel will be for you. However, for those after another slice of action, On the Beach looks to be bigger and better in every way.
