SXSW 2025: ‘Death Stranding 2: On the Beach’ reveals new gameplay and a June release date

Hideo Kojima has once again served up a fresh batch of “What the hell did I just watch?”

The legendary game director took the stage at SXSW to unveil a brand-new look at his much-anticipated sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Joining him for the panel were Norman Reedus (returning as Sam Porter Bridges), Troy Baker, and French music director/designer Woodkid. The nearly 10-minute trailer — shown to an eager crowd at the Austin Convention Center — is classic Kojima: jaw-dropping visuals, eerie monsters, and a healthy dose of beautifully bizarre chaos.

It’s weird. It’s stunning. And, honestly, we wouldn’t want it any other way.

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Not only did we get fresh gameplay, but we finally have a release date: June 26. Death Stranding 2 picks up where the first game left off, following Sam Porter Bridges as he and his allies wrestle with the existential fallout of their mission. Death Stranding 2‘s tagline, “Should we have connected?” appears to reference the first game’s focus on connecting the scattered remains of the United States. Now, it looks as though the sequel will question whether all that effort was worth it.

This sequel brings a new journey, a fresh setting, and an expanded cast of characters. A previous trailer introduced us to Troy Baker’s crow-inspired maniac, but this latest look unveils Luca Marinelli’s Neil, the leader of a mysterious new faction — sporting a headband that makes him look suspiciously like Solid Snake from Metal Gear.

It’s an exciting time for Kojima and his studio, with the team not only gearing up for Death Stranding 2 but the director also announcing a global concert tour, Strands Of Harmony — and a full-fledged film adaptation in collaboration with the award-winning A24.

You can pre-order Death Stranding 2: On the Beach on March 17, 2025.