Is Death Stranding 2 Ready to Drop a Big Update? All Signs Point to Yes

Half a year has passed since the Game Awards show, marking the official reveal of Death Stranding 2. True to Hideo Kojima's enigmatic style, the teaser left fans with more questions than answers, leaving the gameplay and story elements shrouded in mystery. As a result, speculation and anticipation have been building among future DS2 players, as they eagerly await the game's release and the chance to explore Sam Bridges' strange world. Despite the casting of Elle Fanning, there has been little news about the upcoming title since the teaser's debut. Fortunately, an upcoming opportunity may provide Kojima with the perfect platform to unveil more of what DS2 has in store for gamers.

Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest

Summer Game Fest, created by Geoff Keighley in 2020 as a replacement for the canceled physical E3 2020 event, has now become a significant platform for gaming companies to showcase their upcoming projects. With E3 being canceled again for 2023, numerous developers and publishers have announced their participation in SGF instead. This event has become so popular that it is expected to take the place of E3. The importance of SGF for Death Stranding 2 lies in the fact that it is like the "Christmas in July" to The Game Awards' big world premieres and exclusive reveals, making it reasonable for the game to release teasers in both events to keep fans engaged. This holds true for Kojima, who shares a friendship with Keighley himself.

Hideo Kojima's History With The Game Awards

Kojima has a strong connection to Geoff Keighley's events, despite Death Stranding not being featured there. While Death Stranding was previously showcased at E3, Kojima made multiple appearances at the Game Awards to promote the game during its development. One memorable moment at the awards show was when Kojima finally received the Best Action/Adventure Game award for Metal Gear Solid 5 in 2016, after being unable to do so the year prior due to legal issues with Konami. These events have linked Kojima to the Game Awards and its founding of Kojima Productions, making it reasonable for Keighley's connections to encourage Kojima to promote Death Stranding at his events. While it is possible that Sony's contract with Kojima Productions required major Death Stranding teasers to be shown at E3, the event's cancellation this year has left it in a difficult position.

Given the lack of other viable options to promote DS2 and Kojima's close friendship with Keighley, it seems highly probable that the game will make an appearance in some capacity during the event, potentially as a teaser. Considering that DS2 was initially revealed at the Game Awards show hosted by Keighley, it wouldn't be unexpected for Kojima to return the favor to his friend. Fans should keep a lookout for a showcase trailer from Keighley himself, which is likely to feature a range of titles slated for the event. If any of the familiar characters from Death Stranding, such as Sam Bridges, Fragile, or Lou, make an appearance, it's almost certain that new information about DS2 will be unveiled during the Summer Game Fest.