Sony’s 2025 is looking a bit barren right now in terms of first-party releases, but it does have a few noteworthy games up its sleeve, such asDeath Stranding 2: On the Beach. Developed by Kojima Productions and published by PlayStation Studios,Death Stranding 2is the follow-up to the bizarre (and somewhat divisive) 2019 action-adventure gameDeath Stranding, which originally debuted on PS4 and was ported to many other platforms later on. The game is going to be Kojima Productions' second project as an independent entity following its highly-publicized breakup with Konami, and it’ll launch as a PlayStation 5 exclusive.
Death Stranding 2was originally revealed at The Game Awards 2022, but it was shown off againduring a PlayStation State of Play in early 2024. This second trailer for the game gave players a far better look at the actual gameplay inDS2and, in typical Kojima fashion, it was nearly 10 minutes long. Kojima Productions is still keeping a lot of information aboutDeath Stranding 2under wraps, but the snippets of in-game footage that have been shown so far suggest that it is going to be a big step ahead of its predecessor, at least in terms of scope. This hopefully indicates that the game will have far greater environmental diversity compared to the originalDeath Stranding, with two particularly bold potential settings standing out.
Death Stranding 2 Should Take Players to New, Unique Environments
Underwater Exploration Would Set DS2 Apart From Its Predecessor
2019’sDeath Strandingmay have been a beautiful game to look at, but there’s no denying that it had a limited selection of biomes. Most of the game took place in either barren grasslands or snowy mountains, with very little else in between. That’s why, if Kojima Productions does want to flesh outtheDeath Strandinggameplay formula, it should add more unique environments toDS2, like oceans or lakes. Being able to ride a boat or use a submarine to deliver a package from one place to the next would really add a new layer toDeath Stranding 2’s gameplay. Just the thought of having to fight BTs underwater is exciting on its own.
While there is no official confirmation thatDeath Stranding 2will feature underwater exploration, some details about the game indicate that this is fairly likely. As some fans have probably already noticed by now, there are a lot of aquatic visual motifs inDeath Stranding 2. The amphibious vehicle from the game’s first trailer, for example, bears a faint resemblance to marine creatures, due to its gill- and baleen-like features. In addition to this, rumors allege thatDeath Stranding 2is internally codenamed Ocean, which, if true, may imply the deep sea will play a big part in the game.
Being Able to Visit Alien Planets in DS2 May Sound Like a Crazy Idea, But It Could Work
One other potential environment that would really stand out inDeath Stranding 2is outer space. Now, it’s hard to imagine how space travel could possibly fit into the world ofDeath Stranding, both narratively and gameplay-wise, but consideringhow bizarre Kojima games tend to be, it wouldn’t be that surprising ifDS2included such a story beat. Kojima Productions has, of course, not announced that players will be able to visit outer space inDeath Stranding 2, but it has revealed one scene from the game that looks a lot like outer space. In a gameplay snippet fromDS2’s second trailer, Sam Porter Bridges is seen walking across a barren landscape with a giant moon in front of him. The setting depicted here may be an alien planet or an alternate dimension of some kind, or a space-themed beach.
A hypothetical space environment inDeath Stranding 2can also tie in with Ludens,Kojima Productions' famous mascot character. For those who don’t know, Ludens is heavily associated with space. In the Kojima Productions intro trailer (which is seen when starting a new playthrough ofDeath Stranding), the mascot is seen planting a flag on the moon as a holographic whale appears behind him. Although KojiPro founder Hideo Kojima has gone on record multiple times insisting that Ludens does not exist as a character in theDSuniverse, perhaps they could add an easter egg referencing him in a potentialDeath Stranding 2outer space level.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
WHERE TO PLAY
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.
