Summary
- Death Stranding has surpassed 20 million players on various platforms, marking a significant milestone for the game's player base.
- The multi-platform approach has allowed more players to experience the game, leading to a doubling of player count in the past two years.
- The success of Death Stranding may signal a similar multi-platform strategy for its upcoming sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
Death Stranding has crossed 20 million players across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and various other platforms. Initially released in 2019 as a PS4 exclusive, Death Stranding eventually reached a wider audience, thanks to the release of its multiple different ports in the following years.
Almost six years ago, the build-up to Death Stranding's arrival was one marked with pervasive hype as it was the first project to be helmed by celebrated game director Hideo Kojima after his breakup with Konami. While not every critic shared a favorable view of the open-world game, the surrounding consensus was positive overall and has apparently improved in the years since. Over time, Kojima Productions has overseen the roll-out of the game's Director's Cut and has also brought the game to additional platforms. Now the post-apocalyptic title has passed a major milestone.
Death Stranding 2 Is Primed to Hit as Close to Home as Possible
Much like its predecessor, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach looks set up to hit close to home with its emphasis on guns, isolation, and technology.
In a Twitter post, Death Stranding Director Hideo Kojima announced that the game now has a player-base of more than 20 million players. This number covers all those users who have played the game across various supported systems, namely PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X/S, and Apple devices, along with those who played it via subscription services. It's worth noting that the total player count here could be very different from its sales counterpart, keeping in mind that Death Stranding was given away for free on the Epic Games Store on multiple occasions and is also currently available as part of PS Plus Extra.
Death Stranding Breezes Past 20 Million Players Across Platforms
It is no secret that Death Stranding's multi-platform approach in recent years has paved the way for more players to experience the game. Back in November 2022, Death Stranding had amassed 10 million players across PlayStation and PC, three years after its initial release. The latest numbers, which come after the release of its other ports, indicate that the Kojima-directed game's player count doubled in the past two years or so. With Death Stranding 2: On the Beach arriving on June 26, there are chances that the continued interest in the first game could prove beneficial even for its follow-up entry.
Based on the multi-platform strategy's role in the Kojima-owned IP's rising popularity, it may be fair to expect that the Japanese studio will do something similar with Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, porting it to more platforms after a period of PlayStation exclusivity. However, if such a plan is indeed put into action, when exactly the forthcoming sequel may be announced for other systems is anyone's guess right now.
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
- Released
- June 26, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Violence, Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Kojima Productions
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
