Death Stranding Gets Surprise Xbox Release

Death Stranding is arguably one of the most polarising games to be released in the past ten years — and one that I'll defend until my dying breath. Originally launching back in  November 2019 for the PlayStation 4, the game has since received multiple ports to PS5, PC and more in an enhanced Director's Cut.

Now, just a day before the game's fifth anniversary (yes, it really has been that long), Kojima Productions announced that the game is now available to purchase on Xbox Series X|S, with a special launch promotion that discounts the game by 50%. 

Death Stranding Director's Cut on Xbox Series X|S features high frame rate, ultra-wide monitor support, and a photo mode. It also incorporates a variety of cross-over content, including that with Half-Life and Cyberpunk 2077.

The game features a high-profile cast, with the likes of Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, Margaret Qualley and Tommie Earl Jenkins to name just a few — I affectionately like to refer to it as 'Kojima & Friends: The Game.'

Players take on the role of Sam Porter Bridges (Reedus), a courier who is tasked with making his way across an isolated America, ravaged by a cataclysmic event known as the "Death Stranding." Sam delivers important items, all while establishing and connecting settlements to the Chiral Network: a system that facilitates instant communication and data transfer across vast distances. Throughout his journey, Sam must fight and avoid "BTs," those that had died via necrosis and been transformed into strange entities. To help alert him to the presence of BTs, Sam carries with him a baby in a pod known as a "BB" or  Bridge Baby.  

It's very much a game that needs to be experienced to be believed, and one that'll players will either grab tightly or repulsively push away. Either way, Xbox players can now test the waters themselves. 

The game is also now available on Amazon Luna, launching at the same time as the Xbox Series X|S port.