Although there is an excellent chance that Hideo Kojima’s 2019 game will get a sequel, Death Stranding 2 has not yet been officially confirmed. Kojima’s first non-Konami title won over both critics and gamers, thanks to its unique gameplay, story, acting and soundtrack. The star-studded title not only featured The Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus in its lead role as the game’s main protagonist, but also starred Mads Mikkelsen, Guillermo del Toro, Troy Baker, Léa Seydoux and Lindsay Wagner. It featured several surprising cameo performances that act as a virtual “who’s who” list in Hollywood, as well as in the video gaming industry.
Released in November 2019, Death Stranding has seen almost overwhelming praise by both critics and gamers. It also won a slew of nominations and awards, including The Game Award for Best Game Direction and Best Game Score. Mikkelsen went on to win The Game Award for Best Performance. Death Stranding was also possibly one of the most talked-about games in a decade, thanks to Kojima’s cryptic pre-release details, as well as its innovative gameplay and unique story. In Death Stranding, Kojima created an entirely new gaming genre that he dubbed the “social strand system.”
It’s no surprise that Death Stranding left gamers wanting more. There are still a lot of unanswered questions about the world that Kojima created in Death Stranding: this is a game begging for a sequel. Death Stranding almost feels like an experimental first step for something more. Of course, that now brings up the question: will there actually be a sequel? Although Kojima has not officially announced Death Stranding 2, he has teased that it could happen eventually. Although Kojima hasn’t spoken a lot about a potential sequel, he has dropped hints as to what a second game in the franchise might entail. Here’s everything we know about Death Stranding 2.
Death Stranding 2 Will Have A New Story
When Kojima first expressed interest in making a sequel to Death Stranding, he stated that a new title would need to “start from zero.” This makes sense considering Kojima’s history with franchises, most notably the Metal Gear Solid games. With each Metal Gear Solid title, Kojima consistently added in new gameplay elements, features, and ideas. This is necessary with the bold and ambitious games Kojima likes to create, so it makes sense that Death Stranding 2 would build upon things players saw in Death Stranding. Kojima will likely take the theme of connection he established in Death Stranding and create an entirely new storyline with new characters and locations for a sequel. So although it would be a sequel, it would also be a separate entity in the franchise.
Death Stranding 2 Will Expand The Genre
In Death Stranding, Kojima developed an entirely new genre of video game: the social strand system. It’s unlike anything any other developers have done and probably not something they’ll immediately want to jump into developing. Kojima has pointed out that if he wants the genre to continue, he will likely have to be the one to keep making games using it. This means a potential sequel to the game that started it all: Death Stranding. In an interview with GameSpot, Kojima explained how he wants the social strand genre to become a permanent one in gaming, which could mean expanding that genre in a Death Stranding sequel. Kojima said:
“I’m not really sure. But the most difficult part is: when you create something new, you have to create a sequel and then a third version, or it would not remain as a genre. So that’s one difficult part. When this game comes out there will be a lot of pros and cons, and [these elements could become the essence of the core part], but I think it’s better that I keep it going in a sequel.”
Death Stranding 2 Will Probably Be a PS5 Exclusive
Kojima and Sony have always had a special relationship: most of his games have been PlayStation exclusives. No one was surprised when Kojima announced that Death Stranding would be a console-exclusive game on the PS4. If and when Kojima announces an official sequel, expect it to be a console exclusive for the PS5. Considering that Sony seems to be losing some of its other exclusive developers, the company will probably bend over backward to keep their relationship with Kojima intact: Death Stranding 2 as an exclusive could undoubtedly convince gamers to adopt the PS5.
However, that’s not to say that a sequel won’t appear on PC, considering that Death Stranding is expected to release on PC later this year. But it’s a safe bet to assume that Death Stranding and Death Stranding 2 will never release for an Xbox console.
Death Stranding 2 Will Not Release Anytime Soon
The development cycle for Death Stranding was a long one. In 2015, Kojima announced his new production company was working with Sony on a game, presumably Death Stranding. He officially announced the title in 2016. It didn’t release until 2019. That’s four years total that fans had to wait for its release. Even if Kojima announced a sequel in 2020, that means that it might not release until 2024, at the earliest.
However, it’s his statement about “starting from zero” that could mean a longer wait. That comment could mean way more than creating a game with a new story and new characters. It could also mean a new game engine. Death Stranding uses the Decima Engine, which is the same game engine used for older games, such as Until Dawn and Horizon Zero Dawn. A sequel would potentially require a new game engine, especially considering that it will release on a next-generation console. Working with a new engine, as well as a new console, will require a bit of a learning curve, even for someone as adept as Kojima. This could add a year or two more to Death Stranding 2’s development cycle.
There’s something else to consider, too, when looking at a potential development timeline for Death Stranding 2. Kojima probably has other projects planned or already in development. This will push production on Death Stranding 2 back even further than expected, meaning that it might not come to fruition until the end of the PS5 life cycle. Kojima seems to prefer to work on one project at a time, so fans should probably not hold their breath for a sequel even being announced anytime soon.
Next: Death Stranding: How to Beat The Capital Knot City BT Whale
