As we keep seeing during our research in the field of Asia’s youth culture, Physical media is far from dead—and Hideo Kojima is making sure of it. While tech giants like Sony are slowly phasing out physical game discs, the legendary Death Stranding auteur is leaning into his love for tangible formats. Kojima Productions—Hideo’s game studio—has officially teamed up with boutique Japanese audio brand km5 to release a limited-edition Death Stranding 2: On the Beach CD player, and it’s an absolute flex for the analog-loving youth.

Aesthetically inspired by the game’s BB Pod, the transparent, neon-orange device is a modified version of km5’s Cp1 player. It seamlessly bridges the gap between retro charm and modern convenience. It sports a sleek, minimalist picture-frame design complete with a sleeve to show off your album art. But it isn’t stuck in the past: alongside a nostalgic 3.5mm headphone jack, it boasts Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity to hook up to your wireless buds or speakers. It’s even powered by USB-C with an eight-hour battery life.

For today’s youth, this drop couldn’t be more culturally relevant. As a generation suffering from digital fatigue, young people are enthusiastically revitalizing analog culture—trading sterile streaming algorithms for the intentional, tactile ritual of spinning physical discs and collecting art.

Priced at 25,300 JPY (approximately 160 USD), the collector’s piece was officially released alongside the Kojima Productions x Parco Games Strand Store launch event in Shibuya, with each limited-edition unit featuring exclusive postcards of notable scenes from the game. Whether you’re a die-hard Kojima fan or a zoomer building up a CD collection, this transparent piece of hardware is a brilliant convergence of gaming and lifestyle culture.

Cover image via notebookcheck.