If you’ve spent any time trekking across the post-apocalyptic United Cities of America in Death Stranding 2, you’ve almost certainly stumbled across weird, unmarked side quests that reward you far more than standard delivery runs. One of the most frustrating (and rewarding) of these is the hunt for Death Stranding 2 Mr Impossible lost cargo, a rare delivery drop that unlocks a unique suit upgrade and 5,000 likes if you return it to the right recipient. Most players spend hours wandering the Western Region crater fields looking for it, only to get stuck because they miss tiny environmental clues the game hides in plain sight. We’ve run this quest 7 times across two playthroughs to pull together every tip you need to grab the cargo fast, no wasted trips through BT-infested zones required.
What Makes Death Stranding 2 Mr Impossible Lost Cargo So Hard to Find?
Unlike standard lost cargo that pops up on your map the second you get within 500 meters, this specific drop is designed to feel like a hidden Easter egg for dedicated players. A lot of the frustration around it comes from players expecting it to work the same way as every other delivery side quest, and missing the small rule changes that apply only to this quest. You won’t get a marker for it, no NPC will give you explicit directions, and it can move locations if you take too long to reach it.
It does not appear on your default cargo scanner, so if you haven’t upgraded your scanner to level 3 at a distribution center first, you’ll never pick up its signal no matter how close you get. A lot of players skip scanner upgrades early on because they feel unnecessary for main story deliveries, but this is one of the few quests where a maxed scanner is non-negotiable. The cargo spawns in 3 possible randomized locations across the Western Region: the edge of the Western Crater Field, south of the Weather Station, and near the old Paleontologist outpost. Most players only check one of these spots and give up when it’s not there, instead of cycling through all three.
Step-by-Step Process to Track the Cargo Without Wasting Resources
Before you head out to look for the cargo, take 2 minutes to prep your loadout at the Western Region Distribution Center. You’ll need a level 3 scanner, two extra battery packs, at least one blood bag, a level 2 cargo shield, and a level 2 speed exoskeleton to cover ground fast without wasting stamina. Skip bringing a vehicle, we’ll explain why that’s a bad idea later on.
First, unlock the quest by interacting with the distribution center terminal and selecting the “Mystery Signal” side quest. You have to have completed the main story mission “First Crossing” to see this option, so if it’s not showing up, finish that mission first and come back. Once you accept the quest, head west toward the first spawn spot near the crater edge, and run your scanner every 100 meters. The signal for the cargo will only pop up for 2 seconds at a time, so you have to scan frequently to catch it.
A lot of players use third-party interactive maps to cut down search time for hidden cargo, since memorizing all 3 spawn spots can be tricky if you only run the quest once. Many of these maps sync to your in-game progress so you don't waste time looking for cargo you've already collected, and one popular option many in the DS2 community use is Spingold, which lets you filter spawn points by quest type so you can jump straight to the Mr Impossible cargo spots without scrolling through hundreds of irrelevant markers.
When your scanner beeps three times, you’re within 50 meters of the cargo. Look for a faint blue glint half-buried in ash, and kick any small rock piles nearby if you don’t see it right away – it’s often hidden under loose debris. Don’t run through BT zones to get to the spawn faster, if a BT drifts over the cargo spot before you get there, the cargo will despawn and respawn in one of the other two locations, forcing you to restart your search. If you see BTs near your target spot, take the long way around, it's worth the extra 5 minutes. Bring a level 2 cargo shield, the area around all three spawn spots has frequent timefall showers that will degrade the cargo 30% faster than standard deliveries, so you need to protect it if you want to get a perfect S rank for the return trip. Once you spot the Death Stranding 2 Mr Impossible lost cargo, don't rush to pick it up first – scan the surrounding area for BTs first, because there's almost always a small BT patrol within 100 meters of each spawn spot.
Common Mistakes That Make You Miss the Cargo Entirely
We’ve seen even experienced DS2 players make these mistakes when running this quest for the first time, and they can add hours of unnecessary work to your search. The most common mistake is skipping the Unmarked Delivery perk unlock. You get this perk by hitting level 10 delivery rating with the Paleontologist, and if you don’t have it equipped, the cargo won’t spawn at all, no matter how much you scan the spawn spots. A lot of players don’t bother raising their delivery rating with side NPCs until late in the game, so this is a huge roadblock for anyone trying to run the quest early.
Another common mistake is trying to hunt for the cargo at night. The blue glint that marks the cargo is almost invisible in low light, even if you have your flashlight turned on. You’ll waste twice as much time looking for it in the dark, so it’s always better to rest at the nearby Weather Station to skip to daytime before you start your search. Finally, a lot of players forget that the cargo can despawn if you leave the region for more than 10 in-game minutes. If you fast travel away to grab extra supplies, the cargo will respawn in a different spot, so you’ll have to start your search over from scratch.
Run through this quick checklist before you head out to avoid all these common pitfalls:
- Confirm you have the Unmarked Delivery perk unlocked in your skill tree
- Upgrade your cargo scanner to level 3 at the nearest distribution center
- Check that the in-game clock is between 8 AM and 6 PM for maximum visibility
- Pack at least one extra battery for your scanner and a cargo shield for the return trip
Never try to use a vehicle to reach the spawn spots, all three locations are on rocky, uneven terrain that will flip most trucks and hoverboards. You’ll waste more time fixing your vehicle or digging it out of ash than you save by driving, so stick to walking with a speed exoskeleton for the fastest travel time.
Rewards You Get for Returning the Mr Impossible Lost Cargo
You might be wondering if this quest is worth all the extra hassle, especially if you’re focused on pushing through the main story first. The short answer is yes, because the rewards are some of the most useful late-game items in the entire game, and they make every subsequent delivery run far easier. For a standard successful return, you’ll get 5,000 likes, 2,000 chiral crystals, and a unique “Impossible Delivery” sticker for your backpack that lets other players know you’ve completed the quest.
The big reward, though, is the Mr Impossible Suit you unlock for turning the cargo in with 90% condition or higher. This suit cuts timefall damage by 40%, gives you 20% extra battery life for all your gear, and lets you carry 15% more cargo weight without slowing down. It’s easily one of the best all-purpose suits in the game, and it works perfectly for both short regional deliveries and long cross-country runs through BT-heavy areas. If you turn the cargo in with 100% condition, you’ll also get a special cutscene with Heartman where he gives you a free set of level 3 exoskeleton parts, which saves you 10,000 likes you’d otherwise spend unlocking them at a distribution center.
Even if you don’t care about 100% completing the game, this quest is worth running as soon as you unlock it. The suit will save you hours of frustration later on when you’re making long deliveries through the most dangerous parts of the map, and the extra chiral crystals can be used to upgrade your bridges and other shared structures for other players.
At the end of the day, hunting for Death Stranding 2 Mr Impossible lost cargo doesn't have to be the hours-long headache many players make it out to be. If you follow the steps we laid out, prep the right gear, and avoid the common mistakes that trip up most first-time questers, you can grab the cargo, turn it in, and unlock that game-changing suit upgrade in less than 20 minutes. It's one of the most rewarding side quests in the entire game, and it's well worth taking a break from main story deliveries to track it down.
