Death Stranding 2: On the Beach – Everything You Need to Know

Hideo Kojima’s highly anticipated sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, is set to launch on 26 June 2025, bringing players back into a strange, post-apocalyptic world filled with otherworldly dangers, deep storytelling, and stunning visuals. Following the success of the original Death Stranding, this sequel promises an ambitious expansion of its world, characters, and themes, making it one of the biggest upcoming PS5 releases.

A Familiar Journey with New Mysteries

Players will once again step into the shoes of Sam Porter Bridges, played by Norman Reedus, as he sets out on a mission to save humanity from extinction. Alongside returning characters such as Fragile (Léa Seydoux) and Higgs (Troy Baker), new faces will make their debut, including Tomorrow (Elle Fanning), Rainy (Shioli Kutsuna), and Tarman (George Miller).

The latest trailers hint at multiple realities, private corporations, and eerie new enemies, while maintaining the series' signature themes of connection, survival, and isolation. Kojima revealed that the entire story was rewritten after the COVID-19 pandemic, adding new layers of meaning to the game’s philosophical questions about human relationships.

New Gameplay and Features

Powered by Guerrilla Games’ Decima Engine, Death Stranding 2 will continue to deliver visually stunning environments, enhanced by next-gen lighting and realism. Gameplay remains open-world and third-person, with players navigating challenging terrain while delivering cargo and facing both human and supernatural threats.

A new submarine vehicle suggests underwater exploration, and trailers have teased a possible shift in the way players interact with the world, introducing more advanced traversal mechanics and combat encounters. The photo mode has also been improved, allowing characters to pose and react dynamically, offering greater customisation for in-game photography.

Like the first game, Death Stranding 2 will feature asynchronous multiplayer, where player-created structures and paths will appear in the world once areas are connected, reinforcing the game’s central theme of building connections in a fractured world.

Collector’s Edition and Special Editions

A new Collector’s Edition was unveiled at SXSW 2025, offering exclusive items for fans of the franchise.

The Collector’s Edition includes:

• A collector’s box with a download code for the game.
• A 15-inch Magellan Man statue.
• A 3-inch Dollman figurine keychain.
• A letter from Hideo Kojima.
• Art cards and in-game items.

Players who pre-order the game from 17 March 2025 will also receive bonus in-game content, including custom holograms and additional gear for Sam.

A Cinematic Experience with a Star-Studded Cast

Hideo Kojima has once again assembled an A-list cast to bring Death Stranding 2 to life. The confirmed cast includes:

• Norman Reedus as Sam Porter Bridges
• Léa Seydoux as Fragile
• Troy Baker as Higgs Monaghan
• Elle Fanning as Tomorrow
• Shioli Kutsuna as Rainy
• George Miller as Tarman
• Fatih Akin as Dollman
• Darren Jacobs as Heartman

With highly detailed performance capture, cinematic storytelling, and a mysterious new narrative, Death Stranding 2 is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing and ambitious PlayStation exclusives of 2025.

Should We Have Connected?

The tagline for Death Stranding 2—"Should we have connected?"—hints at the philosophical depth of the story, as Sam and his companions embark on a journey beyond the UCA, encountering new threats, organisations, and challenges.

With improved traversal mechanics, a gripping narrative, and a visually breathtaking world, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is set to deliver an unforgettable experience.

Pre-orders open on 17 March 2025, so be sure to secure your copy from KOODOO.co.za and experience the next evolution of Hideo Kojima’s visionary world when it launches on 26 June 2025!