The first full hour of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach gameplay has leaked online just days before launch.
It’s been a long road, but Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is nearly here. Hideo Kojima’s highly anticipated sequel is officially set to launch on June 26, with early access beginning June 24 on PlayStation 5. Ever since the game was revealed, excitement has been building thanks to its surreal trailers, star-studded cast, and all the mystery surrounding its story.
Over the past few weeks, Kojima Productions has been gradually opening up, releasing a series of deep-dive previews, a new trailer during the Summer Game Fest 2025, and even confirming appearances from unexpected guest stars.
But now, just days before release, a major leak has hit the internet, showing the first full hour of gameplay from the finished game.
First Hour of Death Stranding 2 Leaks on YouTube
Earlier today, a YouTube user named “ariel navarro rg” posted what looks like the first full hour of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. The footage shows real gameplay from the final version of the game, complete with cutscenes, menus, and full Spanish voice acting.
If you’re curious, the full video is still live as of this writing. But just a heads-up: the footage contains major story spoilers, especially if you’re hoping to go in blind. You can watch the video below, but it’s very likely Sony or Kojima Productions will have it removed soon.
Meanwhile, the official review embargo for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is set to lift tomorrow, on June 23 at 5:00 AM PDT / 7:00 AM CDT / 8:00 AM EDT / 1:00 PM BST. That’s when you can expect the first full wave of critic reviews and gameplay impressions to go live, giving fans a better idea of what to expect from the full release.
There’s been a lot of chatter around this game even before this leak. Just recently, composer Woodkid revealed that Kojima rewrote large parts of the story because early playtesters found the game “too good.” In Kojima’s eyes, that meant it wasn’t pushing the emotional boundaries enough, so he made it more challenging, more layered, and yes, probably more weird in the best way possible.
And if that wasn’t enough of a surprise, the film directors Danny and Michael Philippou (known for Talk to Me and Bring Her Back) are actually in the game. Not just as Easter eggs, either, they were fully motion-captured and voiced for in-game cameos.
Watch the leaked gameplay footage below! Spoiler Warning!
So, what do you think? Are you going to check out the leaked footage or wait for the full experience? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
