The Death Stranding series is perfect for the Nintendo Switch 2: Here’s why

Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is already one of the best games of 2025, and for good reason. Out for PlayStation 5, the game revisits Sam Bridges in a world where you’ll find him traversing larger landscapes, such as Australia. But there are even clear callbacks to Kojima’s Metal Gear series, which we won’t spoil for those yet to play the game.

However, for a title that requires the player to deliver goods on the go, all while fighting against the BTs and others, there is no word yet on whether Death Stranding 1 or 2 will come to Nintendo Switch 2. Players can buy the first game on their Android and iPhone devices, but it feels like a natural fit to come to the platform. Below, we explain why they should.

The Escapist recaps

• Death Stranding 1 was the first game from creator Hideo Kojima after exiting Konami on seemingly bad terms, debuting in 2019 for PlayStation 4, followed by other platforms.
• The series revolves around Sam Bridges, a porter who is tasked with delivering goods across a huge landscape.
• The first game gained wide acclaim, but was also criticised for being too long and relying more on stealth than combat.
• The sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, debuted in 2025 for PlayStation 5 to bigger critical acclaim, with plenty of callbacks to Kojima’s Metal Gear series to boot.

Building bridges all over again

When Hideo Kojima left Konami in 2015 under less-than-amicable circumstances, many wondered what he’d be working on next. We got our answer soon after, with Death Stranding. 

Its 2019 release on PlayStation 4 was critically acclaimed, with plenty of praise given to the gameplay mechanics, the stealth, narrative, and more. But arguably, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that made Death Stranding unexpectedly relevant for players.

With most of the world in lockdown, unable to leave their homes due to the pandemic, games like Death Stranding gave players freedom that was currently unavailable. When the improved version, Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, came out on PC as well as PlayStation 5 in 2020, that’s when the game really shone. Combined with the ability to leave messages with other players, it felt like a community.

With the second game, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, more of a focus on action is clearly abundant compared to the first game, instead of being inspired by an early 2000s music track. Battling against Higgs and his Ghost Mechs, culminating in a final battle that’s very reminiscent of Metal Gear Solid 4, the sequel has made a big impression, but it could be so much more on Switch.

A prime delivery on Switch

You see, the Nintendo Switch, since its 2017 debut, has always been about portability and inclusiveness. Want a quick game of Mario Kart World with a friend during a bus journey? Snap out both Joy-Con 2 controllers and use the Switch 2 in tabletop mode. Does someone want to play a game like Super Mario Party Jamboree but is currently unable to? Lend it to them with Game Share.

The Switch has a strong community sense about it, and it always has. With the more powerful Switch 2, games like Resident Evil: Requiem and Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade are now possible to come to the console. So why not Death Stranding?

They feel perfectly tailored to Nintendo’s console. Features like using the gyrometer to balance Sam when he’s traversing the lands with his packages, or even using the Switch 2 Camera accessory to send messages to other players, could sweeten the package on the console.

Even using the touch screen to plan out delivery routes, instead of having to browse through its menus with a controller, would be a huge help, cutting down the time it takes to do this. But with two Nintendo Directs having been broadcast and no sign of the Death Stranding games, what’s the deal, Kojima?

A bridge too far for Switch?

The simple answer could be related to exclusivity. There are rumors that Death Stranding 2 is locked to PlayStation 5 for a year, which could make it available on other platforms after June 2026. But in regard to the first Death Stranding, it could be a matter of timing. 

There’s always a chance we could see it surprise-drop as we head into 2026, and it could also be seen as a test-bed for how the sequel could fare on Switch 2. Either way, it feels like an easy win on Switch 2, regardless of the potential features both games could benefit from being on Nintendo’s console. 

Although the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 is on Switch, it’s the only Kojima series that’s on it. Having him announce, at least the first game, that it’ll be coming to Switch 2, would be a great surprise to players, and would be the first title from his company, Kojima Productions, to be on the console too.

Community runs deep for both Nintendo and Kojima, and all the advantages are there. For us, it’s not a matter of if both Death Stranding games will come to Switch 2; it’s a matter of when.

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References

1. York – On The Beach (YouTube)
2. Mario Kart World™ for Nintendo Switch™ 2 (Nintendo)
3. Nintendo Switch 2 GameShare: How It Works (Nintendo)