Death Stranding save transfer to PS5's Director's Cut explained

Publish date: 2023-04-14

Death Stranding's save transfer feature allows you to continue your progress from the PS4 version of the game to 2021's Director's Cut on PS5.

Whether you're at the end game state, or still working your way through America and aren't done with the story, you can continue where you left off and make full use of the next-gen versions additions - including a new racing mode.

Unlike recent PS5 games such as Ghost of Tsushima on PS5 which, to quote Digital Foundry, "just works", there is some prep involved - and things you should know ahead of a save transfer when it comes to wait remains and what carries forward.

On this page:

Death Stranding Director's Cut PS5: The Digital Foundry Tech Review

If you're looking for assistance on the critical path, our Death Stranding walkthrough can help.

How to transfer Death Stranding saves to PS5: Death Stranding save transfer explained

To bring your Death Stranding save over from PS4 to PS5, you need to upload the save to the game's servers. To do that, you must first install Death Stranding's PS4 version.

Whether you do this on the PS4 or through PS5 via backwards compatibility, it doesn't matter. Once it's installed - or if you already have it installed, have made sure it's updated to version 1.13 and above - then open up your save game.

From there, to transfer from Death Stranding on PS4 to PS5, you must:

  • Make sure you have no Open Orders available
  • Stand at a Delivery Terminal
  • Open the System Menu
  • Select the Export Save Data option

    • Then, after accepting the caveats on the save transfer - which we discuss in the next section - your save will be uploaded.

    We are then done with the PS5 version of the game. Now boot up the Director's Cut version of Death Stranding, select 'Load Game (PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5)' from the main menu to grab the save from the server.

    With the save safely downloaded - and as mentioned, removed from the server now it's on your console - you should see all the Trophies you earned on the PS4 version unlock again in the Director's Cut. When ready, you can then start your game, and enjoy the new features.

    Tomorrow is in our hands - again! Learn about the Director's Cut's new features, including new story missions, a racing mode, Half-Life missions and how to transfer saves to PS5. Our main Death Stranding walkthrough outlines how to play through the story, including Episode 3 missions, the Small Thermonuclear Device and how to find a way to change Lockne's mind As you play, you can find Memory Chip locations, learn how Death Stranding multiplayer works.

    What transfers over from Death Stranding on PS4 to PS5, and how to address the Open Orders issue

    The above steps are pretty straightforward, with the only snag to do with any Open Orders being available which will prevent you from uploading your save.

    The most obvious solution is to complete them, but that might take a while. Though not apparent at first, you should be able to cancel most Open Orders within the Quest area of the game. Not all can be cancelled however - such as any tutorials for new tools or structures you may have picked up and not completed during the course of the story. Once you have completed these, and have a clear roster, then a save upload is possible.

    When you do upload you save, you'll be given a long list of things which do and don't remain, which are in a gallery of screenshots below. Otherwise, here is a summary of what this includes, if you prefer to read up ahead of time, or simply want the highlights:

    Enjoy the many new additions - such as the racing mode - in the Director's Cut!

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