During SXSW 2025 in Austin, Texas, developer Hideo Kojima took to the stage to showcase his awaited sequel to the initially PlayStation exclusive game Death Stranding, the first game developed by his studio Kojima Productions after Kojima parted ways with Konami back in 2015 after nearly 30 years with the publisher. Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, as it is titled, was not only given another trailer showcasing the game but finally unveiled a release date confirming that the game will release this year.
Similar to previous trailers for both games in the series, it is easy to get more confused as to what you can expect, given that the 10-minute video showcases many narrative moments that will probably only make sense once you are going through the title. The trailer introduces Neil, the new character, who is interrogated in a room early on, with this same character taking on a very solid snake appearance later in the trailer.
Much of the trailer does show that the core gameplay will remain mostly unchanged as Sam Bridges (Played by Norman Reedus) is seen walking through many environments and shifting the load of his cargo as he does so. These environments do look to offer something more as we see him in locations such as a lush forest and a ghost town complete with old model cars. Of course, this is only a small sum of what this trailer has shown we can expect with the second journey across America, looking just as grand and emotional as it did the first time.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is set to release on June 26, 2025, and will be exclusive to the PlayStation 5. Sony recently sold the right to the franchise to Kojima Productions, which means there is a high probability we will see the game on both Xbox and PC, but most likely, Sony already had deals in place from producing the game to get the exclusive launch. If a player preorders the title either through the Digital Deluxe or the Collectors Edition, they will receive two days of early access.
The standard edition of Death Stranding 2 will cost $69.99, with the collectors edition costing $229.99. The Digital Deluxe Edition will cost $79.99, with preorders for all three versions beginning on March 17th. Following the plot of the first game, which has seen 19 million players since release, the sequel asks, ‘Should we have connected?’, a twist on the first game’s goal of connecting the remnants of humanity, begging the question of it was all worth it. An official blurb for the game states:
Embark on an inspiring mission of human connection beyond the UCA. Sam — with companions by his side — sets out on a new journey to save humanity from extinction. Join them as they traverse a world beset by otherworldly enemies, obstacles and a haunting question: should we have connected? Step by step, legendary game creator Hideo Kojima changes the world once again.
Meanwhile, it has never been a better time for fans of both Kojima and Death Stranding. A concert tour dubbed The Strands of Harmony Tour was announced, set to tour across 19 cities. It will feature both an orchestra and singers performing numbers from Ludvig Forssell’s score alongside music from other artists featured in the game. Syncronised HD video projections will also accompany the performances, featuring clips from both the original Death Stranding and its sequel. It will premiere at the Sydney Opera House on November 8, 2025. Additionally, Kojima is working with the academy award-winning production company A24 (winner of best picture for Everything Everywhere All At Once) to bring the world of Death Stranding to the Big Screen.
There are also two additional games in development at Kojima Productions that have been announced, though not fully showcased at this time. These games are horror title OD, which is being published by Xbox Game Studios, and Stealth action game/movie hybrid Physint, which is being published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.
While no date has been announced for this title, Kojima has confirmed that the ongoing video game actors’ strike has delayed both projects.
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