Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is the active commercial driver, with a licensed merchandise and collaboration run through mid-2026 spanning crane game prizes, a BB Pod CD player, a Shibuya pop-up store, and recommended gaming PCs. The live-action film from A24 and Kojima Productions is in pre-production, with location scouting about a month away as of September 2026.
Death Stranding coverage through mid-2026 splits into three tracks: the ongoing merchandise and collaboration business around Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, the live-action film, and the wider Kojima Productions picture that sits behind both. On the merchandise side the run is steady. Banpresto put a Duck plushie out on June 9, 2026 and a Sam monitor top figure on June 23, with a Higgs prize figure scheduled next; the Higgs figure was confirmed in July as part of the Monitor Top Figure series from BANDAI SPIRITS, roughly 12 cm tall and shipping from July 14, 2026.
Hardware and retail followed. Unitcom released LEVEL∞ recommended gaming PCs for the game under iiyama PC on June 5, 2026, starting at 264,800 yen with AMD Ryzen processors and Radeon graphics. In August, Parco Games added a knit tote bag carrying the Ahiru-Ludens motif, a new Ludens T-shirt illustration by Yoji Shinkawa, Disk Union and BLOCKHEAD MOTORS collaborations, plus a Shinkawa rough sketch exhibition. A km5 wireless CD player modeled on the BB Pod, the Instant Disc Audio Cp1 DEATH STRANDING 2 Model, launched August 1, 2026 and also sells at the Kojima Productions and Parco Games Strand Store in Shibuya. Shibuya Parco hosted Chaos Culture Geek from August 7 to 11, with a Death Stranding 2 RC car course from Kojima Productions and BLOCKHEAD MOTORS.
The film has moved past scripting. Director and writer Michael Sarnoski said in June 2026 that the script was nearly finished and that A24 and Hideo Kojima had read it and were satisfied. By September he told BAFTA that location scouting would begin in about a month, with the second draft submitted and a 2027 shoot planned for Iceland and Northern Ireland. Separately, Kojima Productions says PlayStation withdrew from the espionage game PHYSINT, and the studio signed with Xbox after three months of searching for a partner.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.
Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/death-stranding.
CC BY 4.0.
Kojima Productions says PlayStation withdrew from PHYSINT, the espionage game it had been developing with Sony. Hideo Kojima said a notice stating the project would be canceled arrived from Sony Interactive Entertainment in mid-June, and that the studio spent three months seeking a new partner before signing with Xbox. PlayStation said its relationship with Kojima remains strong after 30 years of collaboration.
Michael Sarnoski, writer and director of the live-action Death Stranding film, told BAFTA the team will begin location scouting in about a month. He said the script is constantly being revised but that he is very satisfied with its current state, and he aims to satisfy fans of the game while offering an original emotional adventure for newcomers. A June 2026 Variety interview reported Sarnoski submitted the second draft and hopes to shoot in Iceland and Northern Ireland in 2027.
Dimitris Kartakis announced PINETRAIL, a delivery game where players drive a clunky three-wheeled truck across treacherous roads to deliver cargo. The truck can transform to cross water or glide through air. Wild boars may steal cargo. PINETRAIL is scheduled for release on Steam in Q2 2027.
NHK announced on August 28 that its game culture program "Game Genome" will be distributed sequentially on NHK On Demand starting September 1 at 17:00. The service will carry 11 episodes covering the 2021 pilot and Season 1, which aired in 2022. The program treats the emotions and values players gain from play sessions as "game genomes" and analyzes classic titles with guests. The pilot episode, an extended version focused on "Death Stranding," features creator Hideo Kojima, host Tsubasa Honda, artist Gen Hoshino, and former Famitsu editor-in-chief Katsuhiko Hayashi. Season 1 episodes cover "Shadow of the Colossus" and "The Last Guardian," "Persona 5," "Ace Attorney," "Dark Souls," "Resident Evil," "Romancing SaGa 2," "Life is Strange" and "Life is Strange 2," "Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin," "This War of Mine," and "Tokyo Jungle" and "Stray." Honda hosted the pilot and first half of Season 1, while singer and dancer Daichi Miura took over for the second half.
Hot Toys is launching a line of Fortnite merchandise at a free event in Akihabara, Tokyo, running from August 15 to September 13, 2026. The FORTNITE HOT TOYS GLOBAL LAUNCH EVENT at Bellesalle Akihabara will display the new John Jones the First 1/6 scale figure, limited to 3,000 units worldwide, and sell other items ahead of general release. The figure, priced at 55,000 yen, stands about 32 cm tall with over 25 points of articulation, an eye movement gimmick, and silicone arms for seamless joints. It includes weapons like a rocket launcher and tactical shotgun, plus accessories such as an Orange Flopper and a skin redemption code for the game. The event also features eight types of Cosbi deformed figures at 2,800 yen each, a 1/1 scale Victory Crown at 28,000 yen, three Mega Mi Style 1/9 scale statues at 9,800 yen each, and eight Petit Replica accessory packs at 3,800 yen each. All products except the John Jones figure will be sold at the venue before general sales.
Parco Games announced new August products for the Kojima Productions pop-up store in Shibuya, including a knit tote bag with the Ahiru-Ludens motif, a T-shirt with a new Ludens illustration by Yoji Shinkawa, and collaborations with Disk Union and BLOCKHEAD MOTORS. A special exhibition of Shinkawa's rough sketches and an RC car event are also planned.
km5 will launch the Instant Disc Audio Cp1 DEATH STRANDING 2 Model, a wireless CD player designed after the BB Pod, on August 1, 2026. The official collaboration with Kojima Productions will also be sold at the KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS × PARCO GAMES STRAND STORE at Shibuya PARCO. The model has special coloring, caution marks as accents, and a redesigned outer, plus a limited-design postcard.
Shibuya PARCO will host CHAOS CULTURE GEEK from August 7 to August 11, an event themed around playfulness and otaku culture. The program includes an opening party by AVYSS, a SEGA UNIVERSE PLAYGROUND day, and a special RC car course from KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS and BLOCKHEAD MOTORS based on DEATH STRANDING 2: ON THE BEACH.
Banpresto is releasing a prize figure of Higgs from Death Stranding 2: On the Beach as part of its Monitor Top Figure series. The deformed design captures costume, hairstyle, and face paint details. The figure includes a base with the game logo. It will be available sequentially from July 14, 2026, as a crane game prize. The figure is about 12 cm tall and distributed by BANDAI SPIRITS.
Good Smile Arts Shanghai is releasing a Nendoroid of Hideo Kojima, the creator of Metal Gear and Death Stranding. The figure stands about 100mm tall, includes three expression parts and optional accessories, and is available for pre-order on Amazon Japan at 6,500 yen with a December 31, 2026 release date.
Director Michael Sarnoski revealed during IGN Live 2026 that the script for the live-action Death Stranding film is almost finished. The film will tell an original story set in the game's world, with possible appearances by game characters. A24 and Hideo Kojima have read the script and are reportedly satisfied.
Banpresto announced two new crane game prizes for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach: a 29 cm Mechamofugutto plushie of the Duck character, appearing June 9, 2026, and a 12 cm monitor top figure of protagonist Sam, appearing June 23, 2026. A Higgs figure is planned for July.
Unitcom released recommended PCs for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach under the LEVEL∞ series by iiyama PC on June 5. Prices start at 264,800 yen. The machines feature AMD Ryzen processors and Radeon graphics, are BTO-compatible, and meet Japan's Green Purchasing Law standards.