Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is set to hit PlayStation 5 on June 26. Hideo Kojima, the mastermind behind this project and the founder of Kojima Productions, unveiled this exciting release date on Sunday during a panel at SXSW 2025. Alongside the announcement, fans were treated to an extensive new trailer showcasing what we can expect from the game.
The trailer runs for 10 minutes and intrigues us with Death Stranding 2’s cast, bringing back some familiar faces while introducing a few new ones. Norman Reedus is back as the beloved Sam Bridges, our heroic package deliverer navigating through the game’s strange world. Joining him once again are Léa Seydoux and Troy Baker reprising their roles as Fragile and Higgs, respectively. Fresh faces include Elle Fanning as Tomorrow, Shioli Kutsuna as Rainy, and George Miller as Tarman. Also stepping into this universe are Luca Marinelli as Neil, Debra Wilson as Doctor, and Alissa Jung as Lucy.
As fans might notice, the new trailer is peppered with subtle nods to Kojima’s earlier work, particularly the Metal Gear Solid series. At one point, Marinelli’s Neil seems to channel Solid Snake’s iconic look, while the giant tar creature merging with the DHV Magellan — dubbed the Magellan Man by Kojima — evokes memories of the formidable Metal Gear Rex or Sahelanthropus. And, of course, there are plenty of scenes packed with gameplay and story teasers that Death Stranding enthusiasts will appreciate.
Looking back to the game’s teaser during the 2022 Game Awards, Kojima shed some light on how the pandemic experience of 2020 influenced him to revamp the game’s script. The sequel’s narrative is designed to continue the saga of the first installment, once more taking players on a trek across a post-apocalyptic America plagued by ominous inky creatures known as Beached Things.
Then there’s last year’s 10-minute State of Play trailer, which revealed that the delivery firm Bridges, which fans will remember from the first game, has been replaced by a new entity called Drawbridge. Yet, as is customary with Kojima’s projects, the plot is layered in mystery, keeping us all on our toes about what’s truly in store.
