Fans of Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding 2 are going wild over the game’s astonishingly fast load times, with many calling them the fastest they’ve ever seen in a video game. Since its early access launch on June 24, players have flooded social media with videos showing just how swift the game’s transitions are. From the moment you press ‘Continue’ on the main menu, the screen flashes black and then-boom!-you’re right back in the action, almost instantaneously. It’s a seamless experience that has left many in awe.
The visuals in Death Stranding 2 have been widely praised as breathtaking, particularly its take on a post-apocalyptic Australia, which we described as “hauntingly beautiful” in our review.
But while the visuals stand out, it’s the near-zero load times that have captured most of the attention. Players have coined phrases like “blink or you’ll miss it” and “instant load times” to describe the effect.
The speed of these load times is especially surprising given that many other games on platforms like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S still feature load screens lasting anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes. In comparison, Death Stranding 2 feels like it’s pushing the limits of what we thought was possible. While the game’s load times have yet to be fully explained, one Twitter user, @RealBugAubrey, joked, “Either everyone else is terrible at their job, or Kojima Productions is making deals with spirits and demons.” It’s a fun theory, but it’s hard to deny that the results are magical.
However, Death Stranding 2 isn’t the only game with impressive load times. Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on PS5 also wowed players with the ability to teleport anywhere in New York City with the press of a button, a feat that hides its own secret loading function. On the Xbox side, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has caught attention for having a main menu that actually doubles as the game itself, loading in the background as you select your save file. It’s clear that many developers are finding ways to eliminate loading screens altogether, a trend that’s gaining momentum across the industry.
The question now is how long it will take before loading screens become a thing of the past. One thing’s for sure: players are loving it. Death Stranding 2 is already setting a new standard for how quickly players can dive into their favorite games.
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