Death Stranding 2 will not arrive for now on Xbox… unless a precedent is repeated

The sequel is exclusive to PS5, but there was an exception in the past that keeps a minimal possibility alive.

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Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is about to be released and its first reviews already define it as a standout game, but the question that many Xbox players ask is inevitable: is there any possibility that it will come to Xbox consoles? Although the clearest answer today is a “no”, there is an important legal nuance that could change the course in the future.

Currently, Death Stranding 2 is exclusive to PlayStation 5 and has Sony Interactive Entertainment as its direct publisher, which closes the door to any other platform. However, the case of the first game showed that if there is a transfer of rights on PC, the scenario can change, even for Xbox.

What would have to happen for Death Stranding 2 to come to Xbox?

The key lies in who has the PC distribution rights. In the first installment, Sony allowed 505 Games to publish the game on computers, which ultimately facilitated its arrival on Game Pass for PC and later its direct sale on the Microsoft Store. That transfer was what allowed Xbox users to enjoy Death Stranding on their devices, although not on console.

This time, everything suggests that Sony will maintain total control over the PC version, as it has done with other recent titles such as Ratchet & Clank: A Dimension Apart or Returnal. If this is confirmed, Death Stranding 2 will not be able to be distributed outside the PlayStation-controlled environment, which eliminates any possibility of seeing it on Game Pass or in the Microsoft store. Only if an agreement like the one in 2020 with an external publisher is repeated, could we see a version compatible with the Xbox ecosystem again, although only on PC.

Death Stranding 2 is, for now, a PlayStation 5 exclusive title with few options for Xbox players, unless there is a transfer of PC publishing rights. The precedent exists, but the current context is very different. At Generación Xbox, we will be on the lookout for any unexpected twist and the game ends up landing on Xbox at some point.