If you sunk dozens of hours into the first Death Stranding, you almost certainly stumbled on one of the game's most delightful surprise cameos: Conan O'Brien, hidden away in a remote mountain bunker, wearing a fuzzy otter mask and handing out custom gear to passing porters. The segment blew up so fast among fans that it's no shock we started seeing Death Stranding 2 Conan teases popping up in official trailers and developer social media posts just months after the sequel was announced. We've sifted through every 2-second trailer clip, offhand Kojima tweet, and behind-the-scenes interview to pull together all confirmed details, plus educated guesses about what his role will look like, how he ties into the main plot, and what exclusive rewards you can unlock by interacting with him.
Death Stranding 2 Conan: Confirmed Canon and Origins
Conan's first appearance in the Death Stranding universe happened completely by chance, if you believe the official backstory. Kojima invited Conan to tour his studio while the late night host was in Tokyo filming a segment for his show, and after a few hours of geeking out over game development, Kojima asked if he wanted to record a cameo for the upcoming Death Stranding. The resulting character, a wandering comedian who roamed the post-apocalyptic US looking for empty venues to test new standup sets, was so beloved by players that Kojima reportedly wrote a much larger role for him in the sequel before the first game even hit its first month of sales.
His return was officially confirmed in the 2022 Game Awards trailer for Death Stranding 2, where he was spotted for half a second leaning against a delivery truck, wearing a more weathered version of his iconic otter mask and holding a crate marked with a custom sticker. Unlike the first game's optional side NPC, Conan's DS2 role is tied directly to the main story's cross-continental delivery network, so you won't have to go searching for a hidden bunker to run into him this time around. Kojima has also confirmed that Conan recorded over six hours of voice lines for the sequel, far more than the 10 minutes of dialogue he had in the first game.
Expected Gameplay Perks and Interactions With Conan
Given how useful his otter hood was in the first game (it drastically reduced stamina loss while swimming, a total lifesaver for deliveries that required crossing deep rivers or coastal areas), fans have been speculating nonstop about what kind of gear he'll hand out in the sequel. From what we've seen in previews, he runs his own small delivery outpost on the edge of the newly reconnected central US region, a stretch of map that's full of steep canyons, frequent timefall storms, and roaming BT patrols.
When you first visit his outpost, you'll be able to pick up dedicated delivery requests that are far more playful than the standard Bridges cargo runs. We've heard rumors of requests to deliver a crate of rare snack cakes to a group of isolated preppers in the Rocky Mountains, or transport a stack of old comedy show VHS tapes to a radio station run by a former late night producer. Exclusive delivery requests that unlock unique customization items for your porter suit, vehicle, and private room are the biggest draw, but there are also hints of smaller, silly rewards, like a custom emote that lets you do Conan's famous "string dance" for other players in multiplayer lobbies.
Don't expect him to join you on combat runs or help you fight off hostile MULEs, though. His character is strictly focused on comic relief and quality of life perks, so you'll only ever visit him to pick up requests, turn in cargo, or listen to him rant about how bad the post-apocalyptic coffee is at most Bridges outposts. He also won't move around the map like some other NPCs, so once you unlock his outpost, you can fast travel back to it any time you need to restock or grab a new request.
Lore Ties Between Conan's Character and DS2's Core Narrative
A lot of players write off celebrity cameos in Kojima games as just silly Easter eggs, but almost every cameo in the first Death Stranding tied back to the game's core theme of connection in a small, meaningful way. Conan's character is no exception, and his role in the sequel ties directly to one of DS2's biggest new plot threads: the push to rebuild cultural infrastructure along with the chiral network.
In the first game, the chiral network only let porters share data, deliver cargo, and leave signs for other players. In DS2, Bridges is rolling out an expanded network that lets people share media, live performances, and other creative content to help isolated preppers feel more connected to the rest of the country. Conan's character is one of the first people to sign on to the new program, traveling across the US to record standup sets, interview porters, and collect funny stories from people living in remote areas. His core role in the story is to remind players that connection isn't just about delivering supplies, it's about sharing joy with people across the country, even when the world feels like it's falling apart.
We've also seen hints that he has a personal tie to the game's main villain, though Kojima has been tight lipped about the details. Some fans have speculated that he used to work for the same media company as the villain before the Death Stranding, while others think he's related to one of the new prepper characters you'll meet early in the game. Either way, it's clear his role is more than just a throwaway cameo this time around.
Hidden Easter Eggs and Details You Might Have Missed
Kojima is famous for hiding tiny, easy-to-miss details in every game trailer, and the DS2 previews have been no exception. We've spotted three clear Conan-related Easter eggs in official footage so far, all of which hint at his expanded role in the sequel:
- The custom sticker on Conan's delivery crate in the 2023 State of Play trailer is a reference to his late night show's "Clueless Gamer" segment, where he first played the original Death Stranding back in 2019 and spent 10 minutes making fun of how much time Sam spends urinating.
- His upgraded otter mask has a small patch of the BB pod logo on the side, hinting he may have helped test early BB safety equipment for Bridges after the events of the first game. Kojima even confirmed this detail in a 2024 tweet, saying Conan "begged to be a test subject" after he saw how cute the first BB models were.
- A quick 1-second shot in the 2024 TGA trailer shows a prepper shelter with a neon "Conan O'Brien Fan Club" sign above the door, confirming he has a dedicated fan base of preppers scattered across the DS2 map. Visiting these shelters will reportedly give you a small connection boost if you mention you're friends with Conan.
There are also a few unconfirmed details that have leaked from playtests, including a hidden side mission where you have to help Conan track down his lost favorite coffee mug that was stolen by a MULE. If you played the first game's Conan side mission, you'll get a exclusive bonus item when you first meet him in DS2, according to a 2024 Kojima Productions interview. The studio hasn't said what the bonus is, but most fans are guessing it's a golden version of the original otter hood with even better stamina buffs.
If you're the type of player who likes to hunt for every hidden detail in the game, keep an eye out for Conan's signature red hair peeking out under the edge of his otter mask in cutscenes. Kojima added that tiny detail specifically for long-time Conan fans, and it only shows up when he's talking about something he's excited about, like a new standup set or a really good snack.
I've rewatched the original Death Stranding Conan segment at least a dozen times since I first played the game in 2019, so I'm personally just as hyped as everyone else to see how much bigger his role is in the sequel. Even if you don't follow Conan's comedy, his character is the perfect example of what makes Death Stranding's world feel so lived-in and warm: it's full of weird, memorable people who feel like real folks, not just generic quest-givers there to hand out rewards. Make sure to prioritize his delivery requests early in your playthrough to unlock quality of life perks that make cross-country travel much easier, even if you're just stopping by his outpost for a quick joke and a free snack. Whether you're grinding for exclusive customization items or just hanging out to listen to his rants about bad post-apocalyptic coffee, Death Stranding 2 Conan is sure to be one of the most memorable parts of the game.
