Death Stranding 2: The gaming world is absolutely buzzing with anticipation for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach! This highly anticipated Death Stranding sequel, from the brilliant mind of Hideo Kojima, is promising to build on the unique and atmospheric foundation of the original. Get ready for an even deeper, more immersive experience, packed with fascinating Death Stranding 2 gameplay mechanics and a sprawling, expanded storyline. It truly feels like the next big chapter in this distinctive universe.
Launch Date & Where You Can Play
So, when can you actually get your hands on it? The official Death Stranding 2: On the Beach launch date is set for June 26th. If you’re like many of us who just can’t wait, keep an eye out for Death Stranding 2 early access, which kicks off two days earlier, on June 24th, for folks who grab specific editions. For now, it’s a PS5 exclusive, meaning PlayStation 5 is your go-to console if you want to play right away. This isn’t really a surprise, as the first Death Stranding followed a similar path, starting on PlayStation before eventually making its way to PC. While there’s always a Death Stranding 2 PC version possibility further down the road, it’s highly unlikely we’ll see it on other consoles, considering Sony holds the reins on this particular game’s intellectual property.
If you’re ready to secure your copy, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is up for pre-order right now on the PlayStation Store, offering a few choices to fit your style:
Digital Standard Edition ($70): This gets you the base game, plus some cool silver versions of Battle, Boost, and Bokka Skeletons (from LV1 to LV3), and a neat Quokka Hologram to play around with.
Death Stranding 2 Digital Deluxe Edition ($80): For a bit more, you unlock that sweet 48-hour early access, an early machine gun unlock, snazzy gold versions of all the skeletons, and some extra in-game patches like Quokka, Chiral Feline, and “Why Me?”.
Death Stranding 2 Collector’s Edition ($230, Physical Only): Now, this is for the true collectors! It includes everything from the other editions, plus a fantastic set of physical goodies. We’re talking a 15-inch Magellan Man statue, some art cards, a cute 3-inch Dollman figurine, a special collector’s box, and even a personal letter from Hideo Kojima. Pretty epic for a superfan!
Diving Deeper into the Story and Gameplay
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach truly continues that signature Hideo Kojima magic – that unique mix of gripping mystery, cinematic flair, and genuinely engaging gameplay. Early trailers, as is typical with Kojima, were famously cryptic, giving us just fleeting glimpses of characters like Fragile, Lou, and even a revived Higgs. But more recent footage has revealed a big shift: Sam is now part of a new outfit called Drawbridge, and his mission takes him far beyond the original game’s US setting, venturing into an imaginative version of Australia.
Expect to meet some exciting Death Stranding 2 new characters along the way, including Lucy (played by Alissa Jung), President Alastair Duncan, and a mysterious figure named Neil (Luca Marinelli), who might just be a new adversary for Sam. Specific story details are still being kept under wraps – especially since Kojima himself mentioned rewriting parts of the script after the pandemic, keen to avoid accidentally “predicting the future.”
The fundamental gameplay in DS2 certainly follows through on what we enjoyed about the first game. You’ll still be navigating around and hauling cargo, but the combat possibilities are really expanding. Get set to battle against a whole range of new enemies, ranging from robotic opponents to new BT variants, and even some absolutely gigantic bosses. Fortunately, Sam will be able to utilize an entire armory of new gadgets, such as throwaway spears, turret-mounted vehicles, and even a strange but awesome blood boomerang. The world itself also seems more alive, with weather systems that change in real time, interactive wildlife behaviors, and even a robust photomode that somehow managed to integrate into the game. Early hands-on impressions have genuinely highlighted an even greater emphasis on exploration and voluntary combat, all wrapped up in those narrative-driven mechanics against the wide-open Australian landscape. Death Stranding 2 is looking to be every bit as odd, sprawling, and gloriously unpredictable as any Kojima enthusiast could ask for.
