Kojima Productions fans can’t stop talking about Death Stranding 2: On the Beach load times, with many calling them the “fastest” they’ve “ever seen in a video game.”
Hideo Kojima’s strand-game sequel launched to stellar reviews, including our own, where we called Death Stranding 2’s post-apocalyptic take on Australia “hauntingly beautiful.” While there are many elements to praise, it’s the visuals that have been almost unanimously celebrated. Death Stranding 2 is quite the visual showcase, so seeing loading screens last less than a second before dropping protagonist Sam Porter Bridges into wide-open fields is quite the sight to behold.
Videos of players showcasing the quick load times have already flooded social media feeds since early access launch arrived June 24, and the results are hard to deny. Pressing the “Continue” button on the main menu presents a flash of a black screen before picking up exactly where players left off. Loading another save while already in-game presents similar results. Some of the phrases being thrown around include “blink or you’ll miss it,” “instant,” and “the fastest load times I’ve ever seen.”
Kojima’s secret to the unbelievable load times in Death Stranding 2 has yet to be revealed, but one popular X/Twitter post has a theory.
“Okay but actually how the f**k,” user @RealBugAubrey said. “Either everyone else is not so secretly terrible at their job or Kojima Productions is making deals with spirits and demons.”
Death Stranding 2 has the fastest loading time I’ve EVER seen in a video game.
Don’t blink or you’ll miss it. It’s literally instant.#DeathStranding #DeathStranding2 pic.twitter.com/2PWkNN92JI
— KAMI (@Okami13_) June 23, 2025
It’s been mentioned already but the load times in Death Stranding 2 are unbelievably fast, like the fastest I’ve ever seen in any game ever.
Genuinely how did they do this?? pic.twitter.com/GmxbaF3ijH
— Synth Potato🥔 (@SynthPotato) June 26, 2025
The essentially non-existent Death Stranding 2 load times are only impressive because so many other games on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S still feature loading screens that can last for up 30 seconds or even minutes long. Even without sitting down for a side-by-side comparison, many believe Death Stranding 2 might feature the most impressive load times for a game of this caliber ever. However, there are a few other shining examples that players believe might give Sam Porter Bridges a run for his money.
Insomniac Games’ 2023 title, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, famously features similarly fast loading times on PS5, with players able to teleport to any location in New York City. All it takes is holding a button, which the developer has clarified doesn’t hide its own secret loading function.
On the Xbox side of things is Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, which many fans have noted features a main menu screen that is the actual game itself.
“Right on par with Indiana Jones new game – both seem to load the actual save file in the background as it boots up, so selecting to continue just essentially reveals the game in progress,” one Reddit user said.
Indiana Jones: https://t.co/DOBj7maJk4 pic.twitter.com/LSSQ269mI2
— Luiz (@diasluizzz) June 24, 2025
It’s sparked some debate among those seeking to defend their favorite video game, but one thing is clear: many major games are starting to ditch loading screens altogether. We’ll have to wait and see just how long it takes before loading screens vanish from most games entirely. In the meantime, you can read up on why Nintendo is mentioned in the Death Stranding 2 credits. You can also check out how some players are reacting to its infamous “I won’t do it” dialogue option.
Check out our Death Stranding 2: On the Beach guide for a full main story walkthrough, complete with checkmarks to track your exact progress, plus guides for Sub-Orders, Standard Orders, and Aid Requests – plus even more secrets and a cheat code! If you’re just jumping into the game, we have plenty of tips for what to do first, how to survive in combat, and how to make it through Brutal difficulty if you’re playing on the most challenging setting.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
