Introduction: The creator of the Death Stranding series, Hideo Kojima, recently showcased the next installment of the series. Six years after the original game came out, the new Death Stranding 2: On the Beach offers a glimpse into an even bigger world where even more things are going to be possible. The gaming community’s reaction to the game’s showcase indicates that Kojima’s promises of a huge hit are not empty bragging. Instead, the existing video materials and information about the game show an incredible release for all fans of action and adventure genres, but also for those who desire to play experiences that go against the grain of regular AAA video game productions.
Article: Japanese game designer and director, Hideo Kojima, can be called many things, but few would label him as modest. In many of his public appearances, panels, and game discussions, Kojima chose to showcase bold visions in almost any game he was involved in. This trend reaches back to nearly the very start of his career. But, once his own company, Kojima Productions, began working in the mid-2010s, he became even more willing to promise players video games that they had never seen before. For the 2019 global hit, Death Stranding, that promise went above and beyond most expectations. The sci-fi adventure set in a strange, post-apocalyptic USA features big Hollywood names and huge production values, especially in terms of the stunning environments where the game takes place.
On the other hand, Kojima focused on gameplay mechanics that are, on the surface, basically fetch quests where players deliver parcels across huge, mostly empty, landscapes. There, they meet dangers, but also other players with whom they can share resources and messages, using little to no violence or aggression during the process. Because of this, Death Stranding is very much a unique game that is hard to be compared to any other recent release. Six years later, Kojima Productions and the man himself showcased the next installment of the series. Through a 10-minute trailer, the game presented an even bigger world, filled with a range of new characters and different scary and wonderful oddities. With a release date set for the middle of 2025, Death Stranding 2 has all of the makings of a huge hit and another worthy success for the now legendary gaming series.
Genesis of Stranding
The development of the first Death Stranding game began long before its team set upon working on the actual game. In the mind of its creator, it was the concept of strands that took years if not decades to develop. In a nutshell, Kojima wanted to make a whole new genre where the players would not compete with each other, nor necessarily work in cooperation as a team. Instead, each player would work on their own goals and desires, but the same activity would spread out strands that would impact other players. For example, a structure one built might be accessible to others playing the game. Or, extra resources a player gathered might be left on a particular drop spot where others could access it without any payment or other reimbursement. Technically, these would be asynchronous online functions, but they would also be social moments as well, with messages and signs accessible to players that could be left for others to find. On this basis, the first Death Stranding slowly got made into the masterpiece it became once the game entered the market. Immediately after that, having in mind its success and Kojima’s ambitions, it was clear that the sequel would soon be in the making.
Game Awards Revelation and SXSW Confirmation
Kojima Production decided to announce the development of Death Stranding 2 in December 2022, during the Game Awards. Three years later, on a SXSW panel, Kojima showed the trailer for the new game and gave its release date – June 26, 2025. Initially, the game will launch as a PS5 exclusive, but it will make its way to the PC platform after that. The game will go to its pre-order phase in late March and will include several versions. Among them will be an exclusive Collector’s Edition that will cost 230 USD, but will cover a box set with art cards, a figurine, and numerous in-game items. Considering how popular the original was, most limited game copies, physical and digital, will almost certainly be pre-ordered and out of stock by the start of April.
On the Beach Storyline
Despite its long trailer, it is hard to gauge what exactly will happen in the new Death Stranding game when it comes to its storyline. Kojima did not explain much until now, apart from underlining that the COVID-19 pandemic influenced his artistic output and ideas that he embedded into the new game. That influence was so strong that Kojima actually rewrote the old idea for Death Stranding 2 and made up a new story from scratch. What is clear from the trailer is that the game will now follow a range of new characters, aside from protagonist Sam Porter, who will be again played by Norman Reedus. Other big Hollywood names are there as well, while subtle references to series like Metal Gear Solid are also more than evident. But, underneath that, the storyline will once more focus on love, connection, sacrifice, and other dramatic topics that Kojima has explored so far.
Bigger World with More Action
While the storyline might be not that evident, what is clear is that Death Stranding 2: On the Beach seems like a more action-oriented game than the first part of the series. While in Death Stranding most action was based on pathfinding and survival, with very little actual offensive combat, the new game seems laden with both armaments and chances to use them. The Collector’s Edition set comes with an in-game Machine Gun with MP bullets. The trailer also shows futuristic guns blasting away, motorbikes with embedded firearms, boss battles, and other action-first content. For some, this might be a step in the bad direction, having in mind just how unique the original gameplay from Death Stranding was. But, the sheer size of the new game, with its different biomes, and other versatile content in such a strange and mesmerizing world, will likely drown out all complaints once the game comes out. This means that only a technical fluke could threaten the fact that in all likelihood, Death Stranding 2 will become one of the biggest games in the second part of 2025.
Author: Ivica Milaric, game designer and assistant professor of game design at the Novi Sada Academy of Arts, Republic of Serbia