Since its launch earlier this month, players of the PC and PlayStation game Stray have been wondering if the game will have a sequel or DLC. Stray was one of the most highly-anticipated games this year, having first been announced by BlueTwelve Studio back in 2020. Despite the long wait, the game has largely lived up to the hype, being met with rave reviews with praise for its level design and unique premise.
[Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Stray.]
Unlike many other PC and PlayStation games released this year, Stray does not take long to beat as it does not have many optional puzzles or side quests. However, the game's mysterious storyline - which follows the cat and its drone companion B-12 attempt to escape an underground city - has left players with a number of unanswered questions. It's easy to see how said questions could be resolved by a potential Stray sequel, which could be made given the game's apparent success following its launch.
While there has been no official comment from BlueTwelve Studio on Stray 2, the success of its debut title suggests that a sequel or DLC release could be possible. Given Stray's murky lore and ambiguous ending, a sequel could expand on the game's current platforming puzzle mechanics while tying up the story's loose ends. It works as a self-contained adventure, but there's scope for it to be expanded.
Stray 2 Could Follow The Cat's Missing Family
Players control Stray's cat as they frolic through an abandoned, post-apocalyptic wilderness with three other felines. After being separated from their family, the cat spends the rest of the game climbing and bartering their way out of Stray's subterranean slums to reunite with the three cats again. The game's final scene offers no resolution, however Although the cat is able to open up the city and return to the wilderness, players are left in the dark as to whether they will find his family or not. A sequel to Stray could resolve the opening premise by following the cat's journey to finally find the other cats they had first been split apart from.
Another unclear plot point is what happens to the city. The cat was only able to retract the roof that had kept the city in the shadows with the help of B-12, who ultimately sacrificed itself in the process. Discovering B-12's collectible memory locations in Stray reveals that it carries a human consciousness. A scientist, who witnessed humanity wiped out by a deadly plague, ed his consciousness onto a drone that inadvertently lay dormant for hundreds of years. Since B-12 was effectively the last living human, a Stray sequel would have the potential to explore how humanity ultimately met its demise, and what a truly post-human world might look like.
Finally, a Stray sequel or DLC could tweak certain elements of gameplay that could be in need of improvement. For example, there could be more involved puzzles and side quests, and players could have the option to inhabit different stray cat characters or solve the problem of being able to customize the cat itself. Considering that Stray was in development for six years, it may take a while for a sequel to happen. Nevertheless, Stray 2 could be just as charming and popular as its predecessor, with players evidently enthused by its beautiful cat-centric premise.
