If you’re an Xbox player who binged the first Death Stranding when it dropped on Game Pass back in 2022, you’ve definitely scrolled social media at least once asking if Death Stranding 2 coming to xbox is a real possibility. The first game’s weird, heartfelt blend of delivery sim, post-apocalyptic story and asynchronous multiplayer won over tons of Xbox fans who never got to play it on PlayStation originally, so demand for the sequel on Microsoft’s platform is through the roof. We’ve pulled together every official hint, industry rumor and credible leak to break down what you can actually expect, no fake news or overhyped fan theories included.
What Official Hints Point to Death Stranding 2 Coming to Xbox?
Let’s start with the facts we already have, no guesswork required. The first Death Stranding was a PlayStation exclusive for two full years before it launched on PC, then another year after that before it came to Xbox consoles and Game Pass. Sony has a long-standing partnership with Kojima Productions for the Death Stranding franchise, but they’ve never locked the series down as a permanent PlayStation exclusive. Industry insiders have repeatedly reported that Death Stranding 2 has a 12-month timed exclusivity window for PlayStation 5, the same as most first-party Sony adjacent third-party releases these days.
Another big hint came from Tokyo Game Show last year, when Hideo Kojima posted a photo of himself meeting with Xbox CEO Phil Spencer with no caption, just a handful of emojis. Fans immediately connected the dots, especially since Kojima is already working on a separate Xbox exclusive horror game called OD, so his studio already has experience building games for Xbox hardware. Kojima has also said in multiple interviews that he wants as many people as possible to play his games, so locking the sequel to one platform permanently doesn’t align with his stated goals.
We also saw Xbox add cloud gaming support for the first Death Stranding last quarter, with official blog posts highlighting how popular the franchise is with Xbox Game Pass subscribers. It would make zero sense for Microsoft to invest that much time and marketing into the first game if they had no plans to bring the sequel to their platform too. None of these are official confirmations, but they all point in the same direction.
What Features Would Xbox Players Get If Death Stranding 2 Launches On The Platform?
If the port does happen, we can make some pretty solid guesses about what the Xbox version of Death Stranding 2 will include, based on how Microsoft handles other big third-party releases and how the first game performed on the platform. The biggest one for most players is almost certainly Game Pass availability. Microsoft has made a habit of putting all major third-party titles they partner on onto Game Pass day one, and given how well the first Death Stranding performed on the service, it’s almost guaranteed the sequel will follow suit if it comes to Xbox.
We can also expect a ton of platform-specific optimizations and quality of life features that match or beat what PlayStation 5 players get. The first Death Stranding ran at a smooth 60fps on Xbox Series X even with all visual settings cranked, and Kojima Productions has already shown off 8K support for the sequel on PS5, so Xbox Series X players will almost certainly get that option too. Here’s a full breakdown of the features we’re most confident about:
- Day one Xbox Game Pass availability for console, PC and cloud subscribers, no extra purchase required
- Full crossplay and cross-progression with PlayStation 5 and PC versions of the game, so you can keep your build structures and likes no matter what platform you play on
- Exclusive in-game cosmetic items themed around popular Xbox franchises like Halo and Gears of War, similar to the PlayStation-themed items in the first game
- Optimized performance modes for both Xbox Series X and the less powerful Xbox Series S, so you get smooth gameplay no matter which console you own
We’re also expecting Xbox Cloud Gaming support day one, so you can play the game on your phone, tablet or low-end laptop without needing to download the full 100+ GB file. That’s a huge plus for players who travel a lot or don’t have access to their main console all the time.
Potential Roadblocks That Could Delay An Xbox Port Of Death Stranding 2
Even with all the positive hints, we have to be realistic: there are a few things that could push the Xbox port back, or even keep it from happening at all, though that second option is very unlikely. The biggest one is Sony's first right of refusal for porting that they negotiated for the first Death Stranding. That contract gave Sony the option to block or delay ports to other platforms for a set period of time, and it’s almost certain they have a similar clause in their contract for the sequel. If the PS5 version sells way better than expected, Sony could easily negotiate to extend the exclusivity window to 18 or even 24 months to keep more players on their platform.
Another roadblock is Kojima Productions’ current workload. The studio is still wrapping up development on Death Stranding 2 for PS5, and they’re also in active development on OD for Xbox, plus a handful of smaller unannounced projects. They’re a relatively small studio, so porting Death Stranding 2 to Xbox might get pushed to the back burner until OD is finished, to avoid splitting their development team too thin. We’ve already seen multiple delays for Death Stranding 2’s PS5 launch, so the Xbox port would naturally get pushed back too if the original release date moves.
The last thing to keep in mind is that there’s still no official confirmation from either Kojima Productions, Sony or Xbox that the port is even in development. A lot of rumors and hints are floating around, but nothing is set in stone yet, so don’t go out and buy a new Xbox just to play Death Stranding 2 right now. Wait for an official announcement first, that way you don’t end up disappointed if the port gets canceled or delayed for years.
What You Can Do Right Now To Prepare For A Possible Death Stranding 2 Xbox Launch
Even if we don’t have an official release date yet, there are a few simple steps you can take right now to get ready for the sequel if it does come to Xbox. First, if you played the first Death Stranding on Xbox, make sure your save file is backed up to the Xbox cloud. Lots of sequels give save transfer bonuses to players who have completed the previous game, and we already know Death Stranding 2 will reference events from the first game heavily, so it’s very likely you’ll get exclusive cosmetic items, extra starting likes or other bonuses if you have a completed save file from the first game on your account.
Second, if you’re new to the Death Stranding franchise, go play the first game on Game Pass right now. It takes around 40 hours to beat the main story, and another 20 to 30 hours if you want to complete all the side content, so you have plenty of time to finish it even if the sequel comes out next year. The story is pretty weird and complex, so playing the first game will help you understand what’s going on in the sequel, who all the characters are, and how the core gameplay mechanics work, so you don’t feel lost when you first boot up the second game.
Last, follow official Kojima Productions and Xbox social media accounts for announcements. They usually drop big news during major gaming events like E3, Tokyo Game Show or The Game Awards, so keep an eye out during those broadcasts if you want to be the first to know when the port is announced. Also, avoid any random third-party sites claiming to have pre-order links for the Xbox version right now, those are all scams, since no official pre-orders are live yet.
At the end of the day, all signs point to Death Stranding 2 coming to xbox being a matter of when, not if. The first game was a huge hit on Xbox Game Pass, Kojima already has a working partnership with Microsoft, and timed exclusivity deals for third-party games almost always end after a year or two. We’ll update this guide as soon as we get any official confirmation, so check back regularly for the latest news. Until then, go drop some likes on other players’ structures in the first Death Stranding to keep the community alive while you wait.
