A new comparison between the PC and PlayStation 5 Pro versions of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach highlights key visual and performance differences, with ray tracing emerging as the main dividing factor.
The PC version makes use of ray tracing for reflections and ambient occlusion, a feature not present on the PS5 Pro. However, the impact appears somewhat limited due to the game’s environmental design, which does not fully capitalize on the technology in all scenarios.
Resolution handling also differs between platforms. The PS5 Pro utilizes PICO, the Decima Engine’s proprietary upscaling solution, while the PC version leverages DLSS. In certain cases, DLSS provides a slight edge, particularly in finer details such as hair rendering.
Despite this, the PS5 Pro version is noted to have a marginally better level of detail in specific scenes, suggesting some targeted optimizations on Sony’s hardware.
Performance is another area where the PC version pulls ahead under the right conditions. With DLSS enabled, the game can exceed 120 FPS at 4K resolution on high-end hardware, particularly with GPUs in the RTX 50 series.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach first launched on PlayStation 5 on June 26, 2025, before arriving on PC on March 19, 2026. The game continues to use Kojima Productions’ Decima Engine, showcasing its flexibility across platforms while introducing new technical features and expanded environments.
