Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is now available on PlayStation 5, and director Hideo Kojima is thanking players for supporting the title after its lengthy development period. Following its two-day early access period, all players can now dive into Sam Porter Bridges’ newest adventure, as he and his supporters seek to reconnect the world in Death Stranding 2.
Released exclusively for PlayStation 4 in 2019, the original Death Stranding was praised by critics for its visuals and soundtrack, but criticized by some for its slow-paced story and gameplay. This divisiveness of opinion pleased Kojima, and following overwhelmingly positive player responses after early playtests, Death Stranding 2 was altered to make it more polarizing. Unfortunately for the director and studio head, these changes may not have been enough, as reviews of the sequel have been nothing short of stellar across the board so far, with the game currently sitting at an average critic score of 90 on OpenCritic.
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In a new Twitter post, Kojima thanked players for supporting Death Stranding 2, stating that making it to launch day is “overwhelming.” The creator also stated that, at times during the COVID-19 pandemic, the idea of finishing the game seemed nearly impossible. While Kojima began working on the sequel’s script before 2020, he later reworked the entire narrative after seeing the impact of the pandemic on the global population. This seems to have struck a chord with players, as Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is one of the highest-rated games of 2025, sitting alongside Split Fiction and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Hideo Kojima Thanks Fans for Successful Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Launch
Several interesting tidbits about the game’s development process were revealed prior to launch, with Kojima explaining that many Death Stranding 2 cameos were cut due to lack of space. In late May, it was revealed that the popular Hololive VTuber Usada Pekora would appear as a Prepper NPC in the title, with Conan O’Brien also scheduled to return for a cameo in the action-adventure game.
Fans of Kojima’s work have even more to look forward to, as a Death Stranding anime series is currently in production. Alongside this, a live-action film project inspired by the games is in the works at the award-winning film studio A24, with Kojima closely involved in the movie’s production. The film’s director, Michael Sarnoski, is best known for his work on A Quiet Place: Day One and Pig, starring Nicolas Cage. Kojima has praised Sarnoski at length, stating that he was glad to see him in the director’s chair as he “doesn’t seem like a typical Hollywood person.”
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Released
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June 26, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Violence, Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Strong Language
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Engine
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Decima
- Franchise
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Death Stranding
- Number of Players
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Single-player
