The release date for "Death Stranding 2" was originally intended so it will avoid coinciding with possibly the biggest release in gaming history, "GTA VI," but after the date change from Rockstar, Hideo Kojima's game is still set for June.
It was recently revealed that this was not the original plan for "Death Stranding 2: On the Beach" as the celebrated game producer himself eyed it for release later this year.
However, it was one of the many who had to reschedule their game release because of "Grand Theft Auto VI," which was initially due for release during the latter part of 2025.
'Death Stranding 2' June Release Is Earlier Than Kojima Intended
Genki shared new information from Hideo Kojima (translated from Japanese), which detailed that the renowned game creator originally intended for "Death Stranding 2" to release in the latter part of the year.
However, it is known that the director and his team set it to a June release date instead, which remains unchanged, because of the claimed release period of "GTA VI."
Kojima and the team, along with the rest of the industry, left the fall 2025 release window open and opted to release their games before or after that period to avoid getting in the way of "GTA VI." The game producer himself claimed that he intended for "Death Stranding 2: On the Beach" to be released around September 2025, but this could have easily been the "Grand Theft Auto VI's" release date.
Kojima Made Way for 'GTA VI' with 'Death Stranding 2'
Kojima said that his game production house is not alone in making way for "Grand Theft Auto VI's" claimed fall 2025 release date as many in the industry also had to adjust for the "big seller" title. Many feared that "GTA VI" may steal the spotlight and hype from the games they will release, should they be released close to the sandbox title's launch date in the market.
However, there are no announcements behind "Death Stranding 2: On the Beach's" changed release date now that Rockstar Games confirmed that "Grand Theft Auto VI" is releasing on May 26, 2026.
It was a surprising move from Rockstar to delay "GTA VI" after holding on to the fall 2025 release date, which it claimed during the game's first trailer release.
With this, ComicBook Gaming reported that the timeline for other developers to release their games is no longer limited for the latter part of the year, as "GTA VI" has been rescheduled for its launch to next year. That being said, "Death Stranding 2" is now being touted as the biggest release this summer.
