June 26 marks the highly anticipated release of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach for PlayStation 5. This exciting news was revealed by none other than the game director and founder of Kojima Productions, Hideo Kojima, during an engaging panel at SXSW 2025, accompanied by a thrilling new trailer.
The trailer, a cinematic 10-minute glimpse, offered audiences an enticing peek into the game’s universe and its captivating cast. Fans of the original 2019 action-adventure will be pleased to see Norman Reedus reprise his role as Sam Bridges, the indefatigable courier navigating an enigmatic narrative. Joining him once more are Léa Seydoux as Fragile and Troy Baker as Higgs. New faces making their debut include Elle Fanning as Tomorrow, Shioli Kutsuna as Rainy, and George Miller as Tarman. Rounding out this stellar cast are Luca Marinelli taking on the role of Neil, Debra Wilson as Doctor, and Alissa Jung as Lucy.
Eagle-eyed fans might catch subtle nods to Kojima’s iconic franchise, Metal Gear Solid, scattered throughout the new footage. At one point, Marinelli’s Neil strikingly resembles Solid Snake, while a massive tar creature merges with the DHV Magellan, transforming into what Kojima dubs the Magellan Man—a sure throwback to elements like Metal Gear Rex and Sahelanthropus. It’s a visual feast that promises plenty of action and tantalizing story teasers for Death Stranding aficionados.
The first trailer, unveiled at 2022’s The Game Awards, signaled a shift inspired by Kojima’s own reflections during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. These insights prompted a narrative reimagining, continuing the saga of Sam’s trek across a desolate, monster-ridden America inhabited by terrifying Beached Things.
A subsequent 10-minute trailer shared during last year’s State of Play gave further depth to the evolving plot. It revealed that Bridges, the delivery service integral to the story, has since crumbled, with a new entity called Drawbridge rising from its ruins. Yet, in true Kojima fashion, the full scope of this world and its mysteries remains tantalizingly enigmatic.
