Ouch, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Won 0 Awards Out of 7 Nominations at The Game Awards 2025
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach was one of many games nominated for multiple awards at the 2025 Game Awards. This year’s Game Awards were packed with an exciting blend of both indie games and AAA juggernauts, resulting in some intense competition. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach may have been one of the biggest games of the year, but it fell to the competition. It was nominated for seven major categories, but ultimately left the event empty-handed.
Even without awards, Death Stranding 2 has had an impressive first year, though. With an OpenCritic score of 90 and praise for its gameplay and jaw-dropping graphics, Kojima Productions’ epic journey has spawned an entire franchise. Beyond the sequel, a live-action movie adaptation is on the way, plus two anime spin-offs, but the spotlight has been firmly on Death Stranding 2 this year.
Death Stranding 2 TGA 2025 Nominations
- Game of the Year
- Best Game Direction
- Best Narrative
- Best Art Direction
- Best Score and Music
- Best Audio Design
- Best Action Adventure Game
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Racks Up an Impressive Number of Nominations
Seven nominations is no easy feat. Its predecessor had its own impressive number of nominations, and with Death Stranding 2 improving and refining the mechanics the first game introduced, it’s no surprise that it was nominated for so many categories. From the story to the music to the performances, Death Stranding 2 went above and beyond with not only breathtaking moments, but wild and strange ones, too, which made for a truly unique experience. If the first game wasn’t wacky enough, Hideo Kojima really let loose with its sequel. A talking doll, a giant baby, tar monsters using a ship as a head, and a completely unexpected dance number made Death Stranding 2 feel like a wonderfully weird post-apocalyptic fever dream.
When it comes to the bizarre, Hideo Kojima isn’t afraid to push the envelope and try wild ideas, and ever since founding Kojima Productions in 2015, it’s clear that he’s been free to experiment with some of his bolder concepts. It’s hard to believe that a franchise that started out as Sam Porter Bridges delivering packages through a post-apocalyptic America would grow into the expansive, epic adventure that Death Stranding 2 is. The first game’s cast was already stacked, but the addition of new cast members like Elle Fanning, Shioli Kutsuna, Luca Marinelli, and Debra Wilson brought the game to even greater heights.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach May Not Have Won, But Being Among So Many Other Great Games is a Win on its Own
Even though Hideo Kojima was present at The Game Awards, he didn’t get the chance to accept any awards on behalf of Death Stranding 2, as one game in particular knocked down most of its competition. Death Stranding 2 was one of the many AAA games nominated for awards, but indie darling Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 came out swinging. Sandfall Interactive’s beautifully crafted, turn-based RPG took The Game Awards by storm, only losing a handful of its 13 record-breaking nominations. It was truly the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 show this year, and it was well-deserved.
Now that Kojima Productions is working on two other titles, experimental horror story OD and mysterious spy thriller Physint, it will be fascinating to see what the future has in store for the inventive game developer. The first Death Stranding is the game that established Kojima Productions as an independent developer, and Death Stranding 2 is a wonderful example of just how much the team has evolved since its debut. It’s surprising that Death Stranding 2 left The Game Awards without taking home any awards, and even though it lost, it’s still been a great year for the innovative and compelling sequel.
Systems
Released
June 26, 2025
ESRB
Mature 17+ // Violence, Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Strong Language
Publisher(s)
Sony Interactive Entertainment
