As we approach the launch of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach in just three months, the original Death Stranding has achieved a remarkable milestone—over 20 million players have taken on the role of Sam.
Kojima shared his excitement via Twitter: “The number of ‘Death Stranding’ players has now surpassed 20 million. Thank you so much. Sams from around the globe are still making deliveries. You are uniting the world.”
The idea of connection is fundamentally woven into the fabric of Death Stranding. Although it addresses complex political themes and draws striking similarities between its narrative and our reality, Kojima recently revealed a deeper layer of its significance.
“I thought I lost everything when I became alone nine years ago,” he reflected, referencing his departure from Konami. It’s surprising to think that a developer of Kojima’s stature had such profound self-doubt, yet this struggle fueled the creation of Death Stranding. Ultimately, he discovered that players were willing to follow him on this unconventional journey. “I had something truly important, which was connection with people.”
The number of “DEATH STRANDING” players has exceeded 20 million. Thank you very much. Sams from all over the world are still delivering. You are connecting the world pic.twitter.com/7KTiftaRhnMarch 31, 2025
When it comes to the impressive player count, it’s crucial to clarify that Kojima refers to over 20 million “players,” not just sales figures. For instance, if my roommate purchased the game and I played it on his console, that would count as two players while it only accounted for one sale. Thus, the 20 million figure isn’t a flawless metric for revenue generated, but it certainly indicates enough success to warrant a sequel.
Furthermore, the Steam statistics for Death Stranding increased dramatically in March, suggesting that many players are either purchasing or revisiting the game in anticipation of its sequel. Speaking of which, the sequel is just three months away and has recently made significant progress in production: all recording and sound mixing is now complete. Kojima has kept fans updated with milestones, such as when the Japanese voiceover was finalized and when principal photography wrapped up.
As we wait for June 26, explore all the new game releases of 2025 to ensure you have engaging titles to enjoy in the coming months.