Hideo Kojima’s highly-anticipated sequel to Death Stranding was officially revealed with the title “On the Beach” at Wednesday’s State of Play showcase. The title serves as both a reference to a location within the game’s universe and to Nevil Shute’s classic novel about the end of the world. If you’re a Kojima fan, now is the perfect time to grab a copy of the book before it sells out.
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On the Beach focuses on folks in Australia in the wake of a global nuclear war, with the rest of human civilization seemingly wiped from existence. They attempt to go about their lives while waiting for the nuclear fallout to eventually arrive and kill them. The parallels with the premise of Death Stranding are hard to miss, as both narratives revolve around a form of spiritual apocalypse and share a similarly somber tone.
First published in 1957, On the Beach is a literary classic with a compelling premise, interesting characters, and a length short enough to be read in a single afternoon. It’s certainly a much quicker read compared to Death Stranding 2.
If you prefer watching adaptations, there is also an old 1957 movie version of On the Beach featuring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner and Fred Astaire. While the film’s availability in the USA has diminished, you can import the Korean release of the DVD with English audio for a reasonable price.
It’s probably best not to read too much into Kojima’s reference to this book for the subtitle, as it likely reflects a similar mood rather than an indication of the story’s direction. The true nature of the sequel will be revealed when Death Stranding 2: On the Beach launches on PS5 in 2025.