Fans of the first game have been groping in the dark about the highly anticipated Death Stranding 2 until now. And Kojima Productions can turn on the lights in 2024…

Kojima Productions’ highly-anticipated Death Stranding 2 is a game that, perhaps unsurprisingly, has been shrouded in mystery since its initial reveal in 2022. The follow-up to the studio’s bold 2019 release, which is being developed alongside the equally quirky OD, is likely to be released within the next twelve months.

In addition, the Death Stranding brand name is expected to grow further in 2024, thanks to an upcoming film adaptation.

In 2024, it will be five years since Death Stranding was released. The first game to be independently developed by Kojima Productions after the eponymous developer left Konami. The experimental, cinematic game is still one of the most unique and memorable AAA releases of the PS4 era. Many consider it a triumphant return for Kojima and his team. The game’s sequel was announced in 2022, and while little Death Stranding 2 information has been released in 2023, this year should provide plenty of information about the upcoming title. In fact, players can even get their hands on it before 2025…

Death Stranding 2 was officially unveiled at the 2022 Game Awards, but actor Norman Reedus leaked information about the game’s development as early as 2022. This suggests that the game has been in development for at least two years.

More Death Stranding 2 trailers are expected in 2024

Death Stranding fans may be groping in the dark for now, but there’s reason to believe that Kojima will be showing more of DS2 in the coming months. It is safe to assume that at least one new trailer will be released in 2024. Not just because it’s the second anniversary of the game’s reveal, but also because of the timeline of the original Death Stranding’s marketing. The reveal trailer for the first game arrived just three years before its release. Five more trailers have arrived during this time.

Given the density of promotional material for its predecessor, it seems highly unlikely that Kojima Productions would let another full year go by without showing at least one more trailer for the sequel.

While many assumed that Kojima would be showing off a new Death Stranding 2 trailer at TGA 2023, he ended up using the venue to unveil OD. He co-developed a brand-new horror game with Jordan Peele. This new project is even more nebulous than DS2, with the reveal trailer barely shedding any light on the plot, location or premise.

Can DS2 even come out in the fall of 2024?!

Fans are hungry for information on Death Stranding 2’s story, setting, and gameplay. But there is one piece of information that is more important than anything else: the game’s release date. It is impossible to predict with absolute certainty, but a 2024 release date for DS2 is not out of the question. As previously mentioned, the first Death Stranding was debunked just three years before its release.

Considering that Kojima Productions already has the framework from the first game, a mere two-year window between the first reveal and release seems reasonable.

DS2 development is currently focused on ADR and localization, according to Kojima’s recent statements. Kojima’s statement suggests that the game’s mo-cap and English dubs have been completed. All this is no small task for such a star-studded project. This can be seen as further evidence that the game has entered the final stages of development and is preparing for an upcoming release.

The first Death Stranding was released on November 8, 2019. So it would make sense for DS2 to arrive at or around the same time. November 8, 2024, will be the five-year anniversary of Death Stranding. This may contribute to the overall hype surrounding the sequel. That aside, early November is right before the holiday season, making it a prime release window for any game.

A24 may draw the curtain on its Death Stranding movie

Moving away from Death Stranding 2 for a moment, it’s possible that the Death Stranding brand as a whole will continue to expand in 2024, thanks to the A24 film adaptation of the first game. The film, announced at the end of 2022, will be made under the supervision of Kojima himself. True, he does not occupy the director’s chair. The original game borrows heavily from the language of cinema, with the most stunning and unique cutscenes in a game to date. So there’s plenty of potential for a Death Stranding movie.

Despite this, practically nothing is known about the film, and key information such as the actors, the filming location, the director or the plot may still be revealed this year.

For many fans of the first Death Stranding, the five-year wait for news about a concrete sequel must seem like an eternity. Fortunately, there’s a good chance those fans will at least learn more about Death Stranding 2 this year. After all, the development of the game is progressing smoothly according to all indications. Hopefully, the game will get a release date, or at best, before 2025.

Source: Game Rant, GamesRadar