Few games are shrouded in as much mystery as Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding. Except maybe Cyberpunk 2077, but at least we have a vague idea as to what it could conceivably be about. When it comes to the pending Death Stranding release, we can’t even be sure of its platform, let alone its genre.

The question that’s currently doing the rounds is whether this mysterious title could be a launch game for the long-rumoured PS5. With the next next next next generation console speculatively slated for a late 2020 launch, it would make a lot of sense for the upcoming Death Stranding to join the party. It’s a game that certainly looks high-end enough to make use of superior hardware, photo-realistically crafted as it is with ultra high resolution textures and motion-captured animations.

This latest round of speculation comes from an interview given to Gamingbolt by industry analyst Michael Pachter. In the piece, Pachter said:

“[Sony’s E3 2018] showcase was really hard to figure out, and they didn’t talk at all. My bias is that [the PS5] will also launch in 2020, so no reason to announce any current generation exclusives other than the ones announced so far. Death Stranding will likely be a cross-generation title.”

So – a joint launch for the game on the PS4 and the PS5, with a Death Stranding release date of 2020? Quite possibly. Kojima Productions still hasn’t hinted at a release date – or even a vague window – for the game at this point so, heck, it could be 2051 for all I know, by which point we’ll all be downloading it directly to our brains.

Anyway, what do we actually know about Death Stranding? Well, it’s got Norman Reedus and Mads Mikkelsen in it. It’s being developed by the legendary Hideo Kojima of Metal Gear Solid fame, so the bar quality will be high (or at least, the player expectations will be!) No, actually – from what I’ve seen so far, the title looks to have been crafted to a dizzyingly high standard. Check out this wonderfully weird and trippy (but compelling) gameplay video from E3…

Moreover, the title Death Stranding is apparently a reference to the phenomenon of cetacean stranding when whales and dolphins ‘beach’ themselves on shorelines. But the theme of ‘strands’ is one that also permeates the game, in terms of connections and strings and… I dunno, hair…?

As for the theme of death, the game apparently follows the journey of a man named Sam, who finds himself in a bizarre ‘upside-down world’ when he dies – a world that is submerged in water. In my head, I’m picturing a cross between Playdead’s Limbo and Netflix’s Stranger Things, with a fair dollop of Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls. Plus lots of newsness, obvs. Either way, I think it’s safe to say that Death Stranding is no laughter fest. Super Smash Bros. this ain’t.

And that’s about all we know, other than the fact that the game has been confirmed for the PS4, and it also takes place in an open world with some multiplayer functionality. So at least you won’t be alone in your death stranding, and can make lots of hair-like ‘connections’ with other people, ey.

How do you feel about a potential Death Stranding release on the PS5? Would it be enough to persuade you to invest in a new console? Or would you rather it came out sooner as a PS4 exclusive? Let me know in the comments below!