The journey ofDeath Stranding 2is going to have to push the long march across the country to new heights if the game wants to capture the same hype as the original title. Specifically, this highly anticipated sequel should make good on some conversation points from the first game andKojima Productions' Ludens mascotfor where this next story will end.
While the majority ofDeath Stranding 2will likely task Sam Porter Bridges with delivering packages all across America once again, and possibly even to and from the mysterious Beach, the final destination should be to leave Earth altogether. The result of launching into space could even help Cliff Unger make good his promises from the first game to bring his BB anywhere and everywhere, even the Moon.
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References to Ludens and the Moon in Death Stranding
From a developer that is never afraid to break the fourth wall,Death Strandingspends much of its early game making tongue-in-cheek references to the Ludens mascot of Kojima Productions. This happens with the introduction of the Ludens Fan prepper, modeled afterThe Game Awards host Geoff Keighley, as well as the Nendoroid Ludens charm attached to BB’s pod. Notably, the focus on these references is always on the way they’ve conquered the Moon in ways that a post-Death Stranding world can’t.
Apart from the fourth wall breaking,Death Strandingalso holds a handful of references to the moon in the form of thecutscenes with Cliff Ungerwhen hooking up to BB. One of these scenes in particular starts with Cliff reading BB a book about the world, and ends with him promising to take his premature baby to the Moon. It’s a small moment that does a lot to show how dedicated Cliff is to his child, but it still puts the scope of how far the game might take the player beyond the ruined world.
From the Beach to the Moon
Given what has been seen so far in theinitialDeath Stranding 2reveal, it is possible that the initial direction players will be taking isn’t up into space, but down into the tar. The Drawbridge ship that appears to rise from the same tar that BTs and voidouts leave behind seems to be the indication that there will be a connection of some kind between the two worlds already known to exist inDeath Stranding. So, the major deliveries being made in the upcoming sequel could easily be to the Beach itself, or the grander afterlife that it connects to.
This could be completely cut and dry, with the only new locations visited being the liminal Beach and the possibility of additional places beyond. However, Kojima Productions excels at crafting stories that players aren’t expecting, such as the reveals in thefirstDeath Strandingaround Cliff Unger and Amelie Strand. So, a trip to the Beach might only be the start of a grander journey for Sam inDeath Stranding 2, which could eventually take the character up and away from the Earth instead of dipping under the tar.
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The Disconnections of Space Travel
With thenew tagline forDeath Stranding 2backpedaling on the original’s focus of connecting the world this new story could be moving away from concepts like the expansion of the Chiral Network. The question of “Should we have connected?” appears to be hinting at a new story about setting boundaries between each other, or even breaking off and running away from society. Taking this thread to a sensational endpoint, space is the ultimate disconnection that can be made to escape from the overly-connected world on Earth.
Leaving the planet is a popular hyperbole for pop culture when it comes to trying to disconnect from others, such as the “I don’t want to live on this planet anymore” meme as seen inFuturama. Even outside pop culture, space travel and colonizing on distant planets is a common direction for stories to take for people looking to disconnect from society, especially with the isolation that comes with leaving Earth. So, a choice to head to the Moon could be atwist in classic Kojima Productions style, likely with the choice to stay connected being the option for the best ending.
