Death Stranding 2 Is Headed To PC Sooner Than Expected
PC players who loved the strange, haunting world of Death Stranding have a big reason to get excited. It looks very likely that Death Stranding 2 is coming to Windows PC in the near future, and the clue has come from one of the most reliable sources around for quiet game leaks: the age rating boards.
The Entertainment Software Rating Board, better known as the ESRB, has published a rating entry for a Windows PC version of Death Stranding 2 On The Beach. The listing describes the game and clearly specifies the platform as Windows PC with a Mature 17+ rating.
Age rating boards often reveal ports and releases before publishers are ready to talk, and this looks like one of those situations. While Sony and Kojima Productions have not officially announced a PC version yet, a formal rating strongly suggests the port is real and already far along.
Even more exciting for PC gamers is the timing. The PlayStation 5 version of Death Stranding 2 only launched in June of this year, so seeing a PC rating appear already hints at a much shorter wait than many of us expected.
A Faster PC Release Than Most PlayStation Exclusives
One reason this surprise is getting so much attention is because of Sony’s usual strategy with PC releases. Former PlayStation boss Jim Ryan previously said that PC players would generally be waiting two or three years before Sony exclusives made the jump from console to PC. That has been more or less true for big titles like Horizon and God of War.
Death Stranding however has never been a perfectly typical PlayStation exclusive. It is built by Kojima Productions rather than one of Sony’s internal studios, and the original game already proved that this series has a strong audience on PC.
The first Death Stranding released on PS4 in November 2019 and then arrived on PC in July 2020, less than a year later. The PC version was not just a straight port either. It included some nice extras that PC players appreciated such as:
- A photo mode that let players capture the game’s striking landscapes and moody vistas
- Crossover content and bonus cosmetics
- Technical improvements that took advantage of stronger PC hardware
Given that history, it actually makes sense that Death Stranding 2 would follow a similar pattern with a relatively quick PC release after its console debut. The ESRB leak suggests exactly that kind of timetable.
While there is no confirmed date yet, the rating implies that the build is far enough along to be reviewed by regulators. That usually happens closer to launch than to the start of development.
When Could We Hear The Official Announcement?
Right now Sony and Kojima Productions are not commenting. There has been no trailer, no blog post, and no official logo announcing a PC version. If not for the ESRB listing the whole thing would still be speculation.
That silence is why many expect the reveal to happen on a big public stage. The upcoming Game Awards show on December 11 is a prime candidate. Host Geoff Keighley has a long standing friendship with Hideo Kojima and has featured his games heavily at past events. Getting Kojima on stage to officially unveil Death Stranding 2 for PC would fit the show’s style perfectly.
Until then, the rating is our best evidence and it is strong evidence. Rating boards have accidentally revealed many PC ports and platform shifts over the years, and they are rarely wrong once a platform is printed on the page.
For PC players who loved the first game, this is a chance to return to that lonely, beautiful, and deeply weird world with all the usual benefits of the platform. If the sequel follows the pattern of the original PC port, we can probably expect:
- Higher resolutions and better performance on capable hardware
- Support for ultrawide monitors to really soak in the landscapes
- Flexible graphics settings so you can tweak visuals for your rig
- Potential extra features or quality of life improvements tailored to PC
Early impressions from console players suggest that Death Stranding 2 is even better than the original in many ways. Some have said it might even be a bit too easy, but for players who loved the combination of atmospheric walking, resource planning, and building out delivery routes, the sequel sounds like a deeper and more refined experience.
For anyone who came to Death Stranding late on PC, this faster turnaround is especially welcome. Many PC players discovered how satisfying it can be to build roads, bridge ravines, and connect isolated shelters together long after the PlayStation release had come and gone. With Death Stranding 2 it looks like PC gamers will not be left waiting for years.
Until Sony or Kojima Productions make it official, this is still technically unannounced. But the ESRB has once again acted as an accidental herald for PC gamers, and if history is any guide, you can probably start planning your next cross country delivery run on PC sooner rather than later.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/the-esrb-just-leaked-a-death-stranding-2-pc-port-and-i-think-we-can-say-bye-bye-to-jim-ryans-2-or-3-year-wait-for-playstation-games-on-pc/
