Kojima Productions has dropped a lengthy trailer for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and it’s as wild as fans would expect, showcasing a mix of cinematic and gameplay sequences, a heavy dose of Metal Gear inspiration, and most importantly, confirming its release in June 2025.
In true Kojima fashion, the trailer is equal parts awe-inspiring and head-scratching, featuring an A-lister cast of both new and returning faces, including Norman Reedus as protagonist Sam Porter Bridges, Léa Seydoux as Fragile, George Miller as Tarman, Troy Baker as Higgs, Elle Fanning as Tomorrow, Fatih Akin as Dollman, Shioli Kutsuna as Rainy, Alastair Duncan as The President, Alissa Jung as Lucy, and Nicolas Winding Refn as Heartman.
Perhaps its most notable character introduction, though, is Neil, played by Luca Marinelli, who presents more than a passing resemblance to Snake from the Metal Gear franchise. The character is seen wearing a bandanna, just like Snake does, towards the end of the trailer, and the likeness is uncanny. The Metal Gear references don’t stop there too, as its epic ending sequence shows off the Magellan Man, a mech and tar creature hybrid that looks strikingly similar to Metal Gear Rex.
Of course, nods to the legendary stealth-action franchise shouldn’t come as a surprise considering it was created by Hideo Kojima back when he was at Konami, and it is perhaps his best known work. Even Marinelli’s role as Neil was previously teased by Kojima in a 2020 Instagram post, in which he said that the actor has caught his eye, and that “if he donned a bandana, he’d be a spitting image of Solid Snake”.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach will release on 26 June 2025 exclusively on the PS5, with its digital deluxe edition offering two days of early access from 24 June. The game will continue the story of the 2019 original, with its official blurb reading: “Embark on an inspiring mission of human connection beyond the UCA. Sam — with companions by his side — sets out on a new journey to save humanity from extinction. Join them as they traverse a world beset by otherworldly enemies, obstacles and a haunting question: should we have connected? Step by step, legendary game creator Hideo Kojima changes the world once again.“
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
Natalie
