Yes, the name of the game really is going to be Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Obviously, that subtitle is an allusion to the literal Beach that appears throughout the first game as a sort of limbo between the worlds of the living and the dead, but that's not the only reference here. Given director Hideo Kojima's love of film - and equal love of sticking not-so-subtle movie nods into his games - it's impossible to ignore the connection to the 1959 Hollywood classic On the Beach.
One thing's for sure: Kojima is a big fan of On the Beach. He tweeted about the film multiple times in 2023, saying "I also love the original story by Nevil Shute. I also love the movie On the Beach directed by Stanley Kramer." He also tweeted a few images of the film's Japanese Blu-ray release, saying "tonight, I’ll rewatch my favorite."
