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Death Stranding 2: Everything We Know

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Hideo Kojima's cult classic IP Death Stranding is merely a stone's throw away from being connected with a sequel, something that, prior to The Game Awards, wasn't exactly common knowledge. And although Kojima himself made various cryptic tweets and low-key announcements about a making a new game earlier this year, it was only when the trailer came about that the dots started to align with the rumors of the past. Turns out, though, Death Stranding 2 is really happening, and it has of course turned quite a few heads as a result.

It comes as no surprise that Kojima has kept a lot of the sequel's details out of the spotlight. Norman Reedus (who plays Sam Porter Bridges), on the other hand, has been a little more, shall we say, reckless with the secrets, and is also partly to blame for the rumors about the sequel actually being in active development. But what else have we been able to rustle up from the news gathered so far? Here's everything we can tell you about Death Stranding 2.

What Is Death Stranding 2?

Death Stranding 2 is an upcoming third-person action-adventure game by Kojima Productions. As a direct sequel to 2019's multi-award-winning chapter, players will once again fill the weighty boots of Sam Porter Bridges, a courier who was once tasked with reconnecting America after its decline into a post-apocalyptic collapse.

If, like the first game the style remains mostly the same, then Death Stranding 2 will shape up to feature a lengthy campaign and a multitude of side quests and boss fights. This is based on speculation at this point, though Kojima has mentioned in the past that, if a sequel was to be built, then he'd “start from zero,” which suggests Death Stranding 2 could also be a completely different experience altogether. Will it still feature death-defying romps through hazardous canyons? It's hard to say, but we're sure to get some more context over 2023.

Story

Death Stranding 2 will serve as a sequel, and will bring Sam Porter back into action following his lengthy stint working for BRIDGES, delivering cargo and reconnecting the Knot Cities of America.

The first Death Stranding game bowed out with Sam vowing to leave his old duties behind in order to live “off the grid” and raise his BB, “Louise.” How Sam will come back into the network is another question, and one that Kojima and any additional announcements will shed light on in the future, no doubt.

Gameplay

Death Stranding bears the right to be referred to as one of the most controversial games ever created. Its gameplay, mostly, is the reason for its divide, with half the population claiming it's almost mundanely repetitive, and the latter half claiming it's innovative, intellectual, and quite possibly unlike anything else in the world. However you see it, there's no ignoring the countless awards it picked up for carving such a hit-and-miss style.

Unfortunately, Kojima hasn't told us exactly what the gameplay in Death Stranding 2 will entail. If it's to follow the first, then we're sure to see plenty more meandering around barren wastelands delivering, managing, and juggling supplies while avoiding BTs and MULEs. Will it be more action-heavy, or will it feature yet another forty-hour slug through the same old motions? Who knows. Either way, we're curious to see it all come to light over the next few years.

Development

It's funny, because if Norman Reedus hadn't said anything about the sequel being in active development during his May 2022 interview with Leo Edit, then Hideo Kojima probably would've kept the whole thing under wraps right up until The Game Awards in December. Turned out, though, Reedus let slip news of the sequel when speaking about his involvement in the first game, claiming that he “just started work on the second one.” Kojima, in a tongue-in-cheek fashion, tweeted Reedus, telling him to go to his “Private Room,” which references the rest rooms from the first Death Stranding.

According to Reedus, acquiring the motion capture footage for the first game took between two and three years to complete. Therefore, if we're going by that, then the work on the sequel isn't likely to be mopped up until 2024 or so. It's unclear how long Kojima and Reedus have been working on Death Stranding 2, but going by the interview conducted in May, it appears to have been under the hammer for at least six months.

Trailer

DEATH STRANDING 2 Official 4K Teaser Trailer | The Game Awards 2022

Kojima officially lifted the veil on Death Stranding 2 at The Game Awards 2022, giving fans of the series something to claw away at by throwing in a relatively short but insightful announcement trailer. You can see if for yourself above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

At the time of writing, neither Sony nor Kojima Productions have mentioned a release window for Death Stranding 2. Considering its global announcement has only just been made, though, it's hard to picture it coming out any earlier than 2024. And even then, this is pretty optimistic, as general knowledge will tell you that mocap alone can take several years to record and integrate. Take into account the actual storyboarding, programming, and everything else — and you could have a 2025 release window on your hands.

The good news is, PlayStation 5 users will have the exclusive rights to play Death Stranding 2 on launch. Like before, the sequel will, at some stage, shed its console exclusivity and make way for PC. Xbox users, on the other hand, will not have any involvement in the sequel, nor will Switch consumers. So, if you've been toying with the idea of getting a PlayStation 5, then hey, you've just found another quality incentive.

As far as its launch editions go, it really is too early to tell what exactly they'll be. If we're going by history, then chances are the sequel will come with a standard edition, digital deluxe, special edition, and collector's edition, with the latter containing a variety of in-game and physical trinkets.

For more details on Death Stranding 2, you can follow the official social feed here.

 

So, what's your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Death Stranding 2 when it launches? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.

Jord is acting Team Leader at gaming.net. If he isn't blabbering on in his daily listicles, then he's probably out writing fantasy novels or scraping Game Pass of all its slept on indies.