One of the iPhone 15 Pro's biggest games from a major developer has just been delayed, as Apple's push into AAA gaming takes a blow

Death stranding running on an iPhone 15 Pro

(Image credit: Apple)

Originally slated for release at the end of 2023 and announced as part of the iPhone 15 event in September, Death Stranding Director’s Cut for iPhone, iPad, and Mac has been delayed until early 2024. Though only a small delay, this means that Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil 4 are the only dedicated iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max releases this year.

As originally announced on December 15th via X, publisher 505 Games said:

“Here at @505_Games and @KojiPro2015_EN, we are excited to launch #DeathStrandingDC on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. We just need a little more time! Stay tuned for a new release date in early 2024.”

As of right now, it is unsure why this is the case but, given how late into the year this announcement has been made, it likely has to do with the final stages of testing and development. A larger problem would necessitate a larger delay.

A slow start – iMore’s take

Here at @505_Games and @KojiPro2015_EN, we are excited to launch #DeathStrandingDC on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. We just need a little more time! Stay tuned for a new release date in early 2024. We can't wait to welcome more Porters to DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT. pic.twitter.com/zCa9Tcecd4December 15, 2023

Though I really enjoyed Resident Evil Village on iPhone 15 Pro Max and found Resident Evil 4 to be impressive despite its stutters, we haven’t received many games in the first three months of the iPhone 15 Pro’s lifetime. This is unfortunate as Apple had the chance to come out the gate running with the iPhone 15 Pro line and, instead, only briskly walked.

Death Stranding Director’s Cut, with its laid-back gameplay and haunting story, feels like the perfect choice for a long commute and it’s a shame we have a longer wait ahead of us. However, delays are often necessary and I’d prefer the iPhone to get excellent experiences in six months than mediocre ones now. Hopefully, the launch early next year is worth the wait.

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James is a staff writer and general Jack of all trades at iMore. With news, features, reviews, and guides under his belt, he has always liked Apple for its unique branding and distinctive style. Originally buying a Macbook for music and video production, he has since gone on to join the Apple ecosystem with as many devices as he can fit on his person.

With a degree in Law and Media and being a little too young to move onto the next step of his law career, James started writing from his bedroom about games, movies, tech, and anything else he could think of. Within months, this turned into a fully-fledged career as a freelance journalist. Before joining iMore, he was a staff writer at Gfinity and saw himself published at sites like TechRadar, NME, and Eurogamer.

As his extensive portfolio implies, James was predominantly a games journalist before joining iMore and brings with him a unique perspective on Apple itself. When not working, he is trying to catch up with the movies and albums of the year, as well as finally finishing the Yakuza series. If you like Midwest emo music or pretentious indie games that will make you cry, he’ll talk your ear off.