The Entertainment Software Rating Board has published a rating entry for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach on Windows PC. The listing confirms that a PC version of Hideo Kojima’s upcoming sequel is officially in the works.
The now-deleted ESRB database link showed Sony Interactive Entertainment as the publisher for the PC version. This marks a significant change from the first Death Stranding, where 505 Games handled the PC release while Sony published the console version.
The rating listing includes no release date or storefront information. However, ESRB ratings typically appear within one to two months of a game’s launch or major announcement. Publishers need these ratings finalized for marketing materials and physical packaging.
Death Stranding launched on PlayStation 4 in November 2019 and arrived on PC through Steam and Epic Games Store in July 2020. That eight-month gap was notably shorter than most Sony-backed exclusives, which often take one to two years to reach PC.
The sequel appears set to follow a similar pattern. Kojima Productions has been developing the PC version internally rather than outsourcing to a dedicated porting studio. This suggests the team has prioritized simultaneous development across platforms.
The timing has led to speculation about an announcement at The Game Awards. Geoff Keighley and Kojima have a well-documented relationship, with Keighley even appearing as an in-game character in the first Death Stranding. The Game Awards has previously served as the venue for major PC port announcements, including Final Fantasy VII Rebirth earlier this year.
Death Stranding exists in an unusual rights situation. Kojima Productions reportedly controls certain IP rights in Japan while Sony manages rights in other territories. This arrangement differs from typical Sony first-party franchises and explains why the original PC version could be published by a third-party company.
Kojima and Keighley go way back
Sony has increasingly brought its exclusive titles to PC in recent years. Games like Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War, and Spider-Man have all made the jump, though typically with longer delays than Death Stranding saw.
The first game’s PC port was praised for its technical features. It supported high resolutions, ultrawide monitors, unlocked frame rates, and technologies like DLSS. Players can expect similar or enhanced features for the sequel given Kojima Productions’ experience with the Decima engine on PC.
