Here's Why Nintendo Is in the Credits for PS5 Exclusive Death Stranding 2

PlayStation 5 owners who have already completed Death Stranding 2: On the Beach report a surprising inclusion within the Sony-published game's credits: Nintendo.

Specifically, the company listed within the credits is Nintendo Pictures, the Mario maker's motion capture studio it bought and rebranded in 2022.

This is the first time that Nintendo Pictures has been credited as having contributed to a non-Nintendo game since it was acquired, though as VGC reports, there may be a good reason why.

Death Stranding 2 development was underway in 2022, around the time Nintendo snapped up the company, previously known as Dynamo Pictures. Indeed, the game's reveal trailer, shown at The Game Awards 2022, features a first look at scenes with Norman Reedus and Lea Seydoux that look to have been shot using motion capture.

It seems probable, then, that Nintendo Pictures (or rather, Dynamo Pictures) was simply signed onto the project before Nintendo's purchase, and continued work on it per its contract. The company previously worked on the original Death Stranding, so it seems likely its services were retained relatively early.

Nintendo Pictures staff members who worked on Death Stranding 2 include a motion capture director, numerous motion capture editors, motion capture coordinators, and a motion capture advisor.

Since the acquisition, Nintendo Pictures has otherwise focused entirely on projects from its namesake, including Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Pikmin 4, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Whether the company will work on any other non-Nintendo projects now remains to be seen.

Getting started with Death Stranding 2? IGN previously reported on a fun opening Easter egg that's perfectly safe to try out for yourself, even if it seems risky.

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.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social