Death Stranding was recently confirmed to get a PC release in 2020, but details were limited about where players would be able to purchase and launch the game. Publisher 505 Games has now revealed that it will launch next summer on Epic Games Store, but don’t fret if you aren’t fond of that store: It’s also coming to Steam.
When Death Stranding releases on PC in summer 2020, it will have a simultaneous launch on both Epic Games Store and Steam. Both versions will cost $60, so your choice of store will come entirely down to personal preference.
505 Games is not the only company giving players more choice in how they purchase their digital PC games. After years of using its own Origin service, Electronic Arts recently brought many of its own games to Steam. This includes next week’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Oddly, Need for Speed Heat, which just launched, is not available on Steam and must still be purchased through Origin.
Currently, Death Stranding is available exclusively on PlayStation 4. The game was made with the Decima engine created by Sony’s own Guerilla Games, with the same technology also being used in 2017’s Horizon: Zero Dawn. Director Hideo Kojima has a long history of having games on PlayStation platforms, dating back to the original Metal Gear Solid in 1998. In recent years, the Metal Gear series has also released on PC and Xbox One, though Metal Gear Solid IV has remained a PS3 exclusive for over a decade.
When PC players do eventually get their hands on Death Stranding, they’re in for a very bizarre, methodical approach to the action genre. In our review, we found the story and performances, as well the stealth, to be its highlights. The game’s delivery system and open world weren’t as impressive, and the huge time commitment required to complete the game could turn off players looking for a thrill ride. The same issue plagued Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, which required players to replay a large number of missions on a harder difficulty level in order to see the true ending — an ending that was itself not truly finished, as additional content had to be cut.