In classic Kojima fashion, the upcoming Death Stranding: Director's Cut presents several unexpected questions. The game will almost certainly boast visual and performance boosts over the original, as evidenced by the reveal trailer's enhanced framerate. However, it's as of yet unclear what other additions will be present in this deluxe re-release of Kojima Productions' latest game.
Perhaps an even larger question surrounding Death Stranding: Director's Cut is what its existence could mean for the future of the franchise. At present, the possibility of a sequel seems uncertain, but if there were ever a prime opportunity to start laying the groundwork for a new game, this would be it. Should the PS5 upgrade come packed with any fresh story content, there are a few different directions it could go to give players a small taste of what's to come.
The World of Death Stranding Beyond the UCA
Death Stranding ends with Sam Porter Bridges in a somewhat tricky situation. After reconnecting cities across America and saving humanity from extinction, Sam dissociates from the United Cities of America, claiming that he feels out of place in the new regime. The porter and his Bridge Baby, Lou, then go off to live as father and daughter, but there's a catch. For Lou to live a normal life, Sam has to remove her from her pod, which violates UCA law. Fortunately for Sam, Deadman helps get him off the grid, making it so the UCA can't track him or his illegally adopted daughter.
Following the game's ending, one can safely assume that the two are likely lying low to avoid the newly installed government's rebuke, and chances are Sam wants to keep it that way. All things considered, perhaps the best course of action for Sam and Lou is to settle down outside of the UCA's domain. A Death Stranding sequel set in another country would also make sense when considering players have already explored the entirety of America. Such a change would not only switch up the scenery but also give the developers a chance to introduce some possible region-specific features like unique variants of BTs.
However, even if Death Stranding's PS5 release hints at the franchise's future, it's highly unlikely it will include an entirely new area outside of the UCA; any additional locations would likely be reserved for a full-fledged sequel. But if Kojima Productions is dead-set on letting players explore the rest of the world, it would be ideal for Death Stranding: Director's Cut to touch on how that can be done, given the broken state of the world. The most practical option would likely involve making use of Fragile's teleportation ability, or perhaps the ocean cruisers seen early in the game.
Death Stranding: Director's Cut - Introducing Lou Bridges
It's hard to imagine how a new Death Stranding game could continue to develop the character of Sam Porter Bridges. His entire life is extensively well-documented, and despite being a fugitive, the end of the game makes it clear he's doing fine, otherwise. He's off the grid, has learned to manage his phobia, and gets to spend his life raising Lou as his own.
Suffice to say, a story starring just Sam likely wouldn't be all that engaging; he's just a little too well off by the end of Death Stranding. It might be worthwhile for Director's Cut's extra content to incorporate a time skip, retiring Sam as the lead, and perhaps setting the stage for Lou Bridges. Since she was just a baby in Death Stranding, Lou is effectively a blank slate who can be any type of character. Additionally, she could also aid in Sam's development. It would be compelling to see how Sam handles the difficulties that come with fatherhood once Lou grows into a free-thinking young woman who will eventually seek independence from her father.
It's anyone's guess what Death Stranding: Director's Cut will bring to the table, but given Hideo Kojima spent decades continuously adding onto Metal Gear's story, it's fair to assume there will be at least a morsel of story content added to Death Stranding. One can only hope that this special edition of the game helps to set up the future of this franchise, which is packed full of possible stories to tell.
Death Stranding is available now on PS4 and PC, and the Director’s Cut edition is currently in development for PS5.