Death Stranding Tips: Always Play Online And Stay Logged In, Here's Why

While Death Stranding is mainly a single-player game, it does have a subtle online multiplayer component in which your actions out in the world impact the experiences of others--and vice versa. Player actions like planting signs, building bridges, placing climbing anchors, or constructing a network of ziplines all have the chance to appear in other people's instances of the world, though not everything you make or leave behind will manifest itself in another player's world. There's a lot to how the game's online features functionality. What we detail below is primarily based on our own experiences, so there could even more ways the game's experience changes while offline.

When playing Death Stranding, you're automatically connected to servers. The game doesn't require you to be always online to play, but it'll inform you if you're disconnected. If you're kicked from the servers, you might think to continue, but we recommend reconnecting immediately.

It's important because when you're offline, any new structures, signs, or traces left over by other players will not spawn into your world until you log back in. Everything you've encountered so far will remain, but nothing new will appear--aside from, maybe, the occasional NPC-built structure or gadget. Supply requests you've ordered and lost cargo other players have picked up for you also won't be delivered. And any likes you've received from others won't be contributed to your porter rank until you're online again.

You will miss out on a critical component of the Death Stranding experience by playing offline. While the moment-to-moment action is not affected, the world will feel more lonely than what you'd experience while online--not to mention more difficult and arduous to explore.

Death Stranding's world contains a myriad of dangers that are often overwhelming. Still, it's through the subtle forms of assistance and support left behind by others that make overcoming the challenges you face even more fulfilling. If you're disconnected from play, always jump back into the System menu and log back in. You can't afford to go this one alone--well, you could, but why would you want to?

If you're curious about how online play works in Death Stranding and all the ways you can impact another player's experience, be sure to check out our in-depth multiplayer explainer. For more Death Stranding features, check out our in-depth beginner's guide and our gallery highlighting all the most significant celebrity cameos.