Shack Chat: What is Death Stranding 2's story?

Last week, Kojima Productions launched a massive trailer for Death Stranding 2 On the Beach. It had everything. Norman Reedus, living hand gloves, black goo, scary puppets, a revived Higgs looking like Brandon Lee’s The Crow, and more. So, what is this game about? That’s our topic of conversation this week on Shack Chat. Find out what each of the staff’s theories are about Death Stranding 2’s story below! You can also watch the trailer here.

Question: What is Death Stranding 2's story?

Wacky demon puppet origins - Ozzie Mejia, Gotta Go Fast

I don't know what the story to this game is going to be, because lord knows I couldn't make heads or tails of the first one. But I want to believe the story is going to have something to do with that demonic puppet that Sam Porter Bridges is carrying around. What is it? Where did it come from? Whose spirit is housed within it? And the best question of all: Does it have anything to do with the scrapped PT demo from nearly ten years ago?

I don't think the big twist of the entire Death Stranding series is going to be "We were living in Silent Hill world all along," but stranger things have happened and those strange things usually have Hideo Kojima's name on it.

Save the BB - TJ Denzer wants to save the BB

I have a feeling something happened to Sam’s Bridge Baby in the first Death Stranding (I haven’t completed it just yet. Working on it, promise!). I also got the distinct sense that it’s one of the few losses that affects Sam, who has a hard time emotionally connecting to other people. It seems to me that it’s something Sam is going to try to fix in Death Stranding 2. Higgs came back from the dead. That much is clear in the Death Stranding 2 trailer.

So, what about BB? It seems like its presence is still somehow helping Sam even if it’s gone. We saw him sitting in his room when his BB capsule lit up as if it was alive and interacting with him. Based on what we’ve seen, I have to somewhat believe that Sam is going to find a way to reach out to the Beach (which acts as a place between the living and dead outside of time) and bring his BB back. Maybe? Maybe not? Either way, it’s going to be a wild ride.

A Story of Resurrection and Connection - Asif Khan, Shacknews CEO/EIC/EIEIO

Death Stranding may be one of the more dense and baffling narratives in the history of video games, but the universe created by Hideo Kojima is getting a second entry whether you like it or not.

My main takeaway from the extended State of Play trailer is that Sam’s mission of connecting America may be complete, but there are other people and puppets that need his help. Characters that players may have thought were dead are back, and some even have new guitar weapons. Sam is even seen with a human baby.

Death Stranding 2 will task players with connecting Mexico to the chiral network. Things appear to be a bit different than the first game with the Bridges company not having as much influence over the world. Maybe post-Death Stranding Mexico is Amazon territory? Puppet land?

For players who never made it to the end of Death Stranding, the Beach is a significant location that is somewhat magical. I expect to witness some really wacky stuff in the first three hours of cutscenes of Death Stranding 2 that may or may not retcon some of the key story beats of the first game.

Pure Nonsense - Bill Lavoy, Discard Main

Having just watched the Death Stranding 2 trailer, I can confidently say that it’s just pure nonsense. Yes, I know there will be bits and pieces that you can extract and make sense of, but overall it’s just Kojima’s mind being set free.

Now, a story being nonsense doesn’t bother me in the least. That still looks like a fine video game. I’m sure the performances are fantastic, and the visuals look incredible. I’m down to play it, I just have zero interest in trying to figure out what it’s supposed to be about.

Good casting and connections - Dennis White Jr., Community Manager

I never finished the first Death Stranding so I’m not going to pretend to be an expert, but I do give Hideo plenty of credit for creating a world that has some depth to it. I am interested in the characters and think that a title like “On the Beach” could be a historical reference to Normandy. With the sprawling vistas that the player is hauling babies and packages across in the first game, I would be curious to see if we get dropped into another warzone in this one.

Horror elements seem to be creeping in a bit, too, and the coolness factor is high with electric guitar weapons and such, so I’m hoping that the story also risks forcing players to embrace fear and being out of their comfort zone. I do feel like connection might expand beyond the physical plane as well. Time to wait and see.

Beach episode - Donovan Erskine, doesn’t love the beach

I know next to nothing about Death Stranding, but I do know plenty about the beach episode trope. Given the game’s title and seemingly tropical setting, I can only assume that Death Stranding 2: On The Beach will feature our beloved characters taking a day off. Forgetting about the tribulations of post-apocalyptic life and enjoying a fruity drink while they feel the sand between their toes. Perhaps a game of volleyball in there as well?

Return to Sender- Steve Tyminski, Stevetendo show host, Something Something Beach

Death Stranding 2 is going to be about our journey to get something that acts like sunscreen to prevent people from being consumed by the Beach. Too much sun, or in this case, the Beach, is bad for you. Or it could be a different take for the game and we’re going across the world to pick up a package that contains a bathing suit so we can enjoy the Beach. We might also be tasked with bringing a package that contains those glove masks the doctor is wearing in the trailer back to the sender because they sent the wrong size and they have to fit. If you can’t tell by now, I have no idea what the hell is going on in Death Stranding but it’s fun to come up with crazy ideas. Usually the crazier the better with these Kojima games so you never know what’s going to happen.

Those are our theories on Death Stranding 2’s story. What’s yours? Share with us in the Chatty comment section below!

Shack Staff

Shack Staff stories are a collective effort with multiple staff members contributing. Many of our lists often involve entires from several editors, and our weekly Shack Chat is something we all contribute to as a group.