Death Stranding 2: On the Beach’s new trailer dropped this weekend, bringing with it a release date, collector’s edition details, box art, and more. Eagle-eyed fans have already spotted a fun connection to director Hideo Kojima’s past work: Metal Gear Solid 2.
The Death Stranding 2 box art features Sam “Porter” Bridges (Norman Reedus) holding the child, Lou, familiar to players of the first game. Reddit user ReverseTheFlash highlighted this similarity to Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty’s slipcase, posting “He did it again,” showcasing both images side-by-side. The Metal Gear Solid 2 artwork depicts singer Gackt holding a child in a strikingly similar pose. While not identical, the resemblance is undeniably intriguing. This also serves as a reminder of a peculiar, out-of-universe Metal Gear Solid backstory.
Gackt’s prominent role in Metal Gear Solid 2’s promotional campaign, including region-specific slipcovers, has led to years of speculation and intrigue among fans. Kojima himself explained this collaboration in 2013, stating that he chose Gackt because “MGS1 was about DNA & MGS2 MEME. DNA consists of ‘AGTC,’ adding ‘K’ of KOJIMA becomes ‘GACKT.’”
Given the strong Metal Gear influences apparent in Death Stranding 2’s new trailer, these parallels are unsurprising. While the similarities might simply reflect recurring themes within Kojima’s oeuvre, the connection is undeniably fun to ponder. It’s certainly a nostalgic trip down memory lane, revisiting that memorable Gackt-featuring promotional art.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach releases exclusively on PlayStation 5 on June 26, 2025.
