Maybe we should not have connected, but if you connected to this morning’s SXSW panel with the man himself, Hideo Kojima, you would have seen one hell of a presentation with not only a bunch of new footage of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach to attempt to understand, but the release date reveal we’ve all been waiting for.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is launching exclusively on PlayStation 5 on June 26th, 2025.
Also unveiled during the panel was the game’s fancy Collector’s Edition, which includes a 15″ statue of the big, freaky “Magellan Man” you would’ve seen in the new footage, 48 hours early access and a bunch of other typical CE tat. Kojima made sure to repeat that the “quality is very high” on what’s included here. There’s also a digital quokka included with all pre-orders, which is odd but neat.
The Collector’s Edition will set punters back a cool $370 AUD, with exact local retailers not confirmed at the time of writing, and includes the following:
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Collector’s Edition – $369.95 AUD
Includes:
- Full game digital download
- 48 hours early access (June 24th)
- 15″ Magellan Man statue
- 3″ Dollman figure
- Art cards
- Letter from Hideo Kojima
- Collector’s boxa
- In-game items
- Pre-order bonus content
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Digital Deluxe Edition – $139.95 AUD
Includes:
- Full game digital download
- 48 hours early access (June 24th)
- In-game items
- Pre-order bonus content
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Digital Standard Edition – $124.95 AUD
Includes:
- Full game digital download
- Pre-order bonus content
Pre-orders for the standard game, digitally and physically, as well as the Collector’s Edition, begin on March 17th at 10AM local time.
And here’s the new pre-order trailer direct from SXSW in case you missed it. It’s a 10-minute long ride featuring plenty of looks at gameplay footage and cutscenes, typically weird and wonderful environments, Debra Wilson (!) and some… nods to Metal Gear Solid?
You’ll see actor Luca Marinelli don a bandana in a very familiar way, and the “Magellan Man” sees a tar giant wearing the DHV Magellan ship as a head, seemingly controlled by Sam through a VR headset, and gives MG REX-y vibes for sure:
You can also replay the full panel with Kojima, Reedus and Baker below, in which Kojima offers a lot of insight into the creative process for the second game, how the global pandemic that arrived shortly after the launch of the original game informed the follow-up and what fans can expect from the iconic characters this time around:
What do you think of the Collector’s Edition for Death Stranding 2? And this new trailer – any theories? Let us know in the comments or over on social media.
