Hideo Kojima says the fact that people are still playing Death Stranding 5 years later is "what makes me happiest," but I'm sure the 20 million players don't hurt

Hideo Kojima recently revealed that Death Stranding has now surpassed 20 million players, but the thing that makes him the most happy isn't the total number, it's that we're still enjoying it five years after it first came out.

Kojima tweets: "The PS4 version was released in November 2019. Shortly after, the world was hit by the pandemic. The PC version followed in July 2020, then the PS5 version of DSDC in September 2021. The PC version of DSDC came in March 2022, the Mac version in January 2024, and the Xbox version in November 2024. Our first IP from the studio—steadily expanding across multiple platforms. We’ve finally reached 20 million porters. Thank you all so much! We look forward to your continued support."

The game has seen a surge in Steam players, I assume because you're all either completing or replaying it ahead of Death Stranding 2's imminent launch date. This is what's pushed it over that 20 million mark. Just note though, that's players, not sales. I played my housemate's copy, so we'd count as two players but just one purchase.

I didn't play it until April, during the first lockdown in the UK. My housemate bought it when he was furloughed, and watching him wander the hills and mountains of the NUSA was captivating. It was the perfect time for a game all about connection.

Now, the game seems more poignant than ever, and Kojima says, "But even after five years from the initial release, many are still playing the game. That makes me the happiest." What a sweetheart.

He may be looking back, but he's still hard at work on Death Stranding 2. All the recording and sound mixing has been completed, and the game is just three months away from launch.

In the meantime, check out all the new games of 2025 and find something to play while you wait.