Summary
In a surprising turn of events, the former PlayStation console exclusiveDeath Stranding: Director’s Cuthas now been released for Xbox Series X/S. Having initially launched in 2019 as a PS4 exclusive,Death Strandinghas made its way to several platforms since then, such as PC, PS5, and even iPhones. An Xbox release, though, is quite unprecedented given Sony’s heavy involvement in the game’s development.
AlthoughDeath Strandingis the brainchild of renowned game director Hideo Kojima and his independent development studio, Kojima Productions, Sony lent a huge hand in its creation. Not only did Sony help set up Kojima Productions, but it also shared Guerrilla Games' famedDecima Engine with the studio to buildDeath Stranding. Interestingly,Death Strandinghad a peculiar publishing agreement compared to other PlayStation second-party games, where Sony published the game on PS4 and PS5, but 505 Games published it everywhere else.
This agreement was the reasonDeath Strandingshowed up on PC Game Passin 2022, and Kojima Productions has now taken the Xbox support one step further. A very recent press release from Kojima Productions and 505 Games announced thatDeath Stranding: Director’s Cuthas been shadow-dropped for Xbox Series X/S, just in time for the game’s fifth anniversary. Moreover,Death Stranding: Director’s Cutwill retail with a 50% discounton Xbox and PC for a limited time, so interested buyers can pick it up for $19.99.
Death Stranding: Director’s Cut Supports Numerous Xbox Features
Theofficial Xbox websitementions thatDeath Strandingwill feature support for Xbox Achievements, 4K resolution, Play Anywhere, and cloud saves on Series X/S. ThebonusDirector’s Cutcontent and featureswill also be present, such as Photo Mode, the Buddy Bot delivery companion, ultrawide monitor support, etc. Lastly, the press release notes that Kojima Productions has gainedfull ownership of theDeath StrandingIP, which was formerly in the hands of Sony.
This is a significant development, as it means that Kojima Productions now has free rein overDeath Strandingand can port the game wherever it pleases. While the originalDeath Strandingis already on most platforms except the Nintendo Switch, it should be interesting to see how the IP ownership affectsthe upcomingDeath Stranding 2: On the Beach. The sequel is slated to release exclusively on PS5 next year, but with theDeath StrandingIP now in Kojima Productions' possession, the studio can, in theory, releaseDeath Stranding 2: On the Beachon Xbox Series X/S and PC without much trouble. Sony might have some contractual provisions against this in place, at least temporarily, but only time will tell.
Death Stranding
WHERE TO PLAY
From legendary game creator Hideo Kojima comes a genre-defying experience, now expanded in this definitive DIRECTOR’S CUT.In the future, a mysterious event known as the Death Stranding has opened a doorway between the living and the dead, leading to grotesque creatures from the afterlife roaming the fallen world marred by a desolate society.As Sam Bridges, your mission is to deliver hope to humanity by connecting the last survivors of a decimated America.Can you reunite the shattered world, one step at a time?DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT on PC includes HIGH FRAME RATE, PHOTO MODE and ULTRA-WIDE MONITOR SUPPORT. Also includes cross-over content from Valve Corporation’s HALF-LIFE series and CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077. Stay connected with players around the globe with the Social Strand System™.
