Terminator: Survivors is being developed around three key pillars – an open-world experience, a brand new story that takes place in the Terminator universe, and an attention to detail when it comes to the design of the iconic T-800. The first one of these has proven quite challenging for Nacon Studio Milan, especially with the developers’ need to balance player freedom and agency with telling a meaningful story. This, in turn, has meant that the studio had to focus more on ensuring that the world sees changes alongside the player.

“Capturing the proper balance between punchy action and meaningful story is as important for us as it was for the original films (if not arguably greater), but that becomes a bit more complex once you’ve given the player the freedom to go where they want, when they want, and to then do what they want — the implications of an open world can be quite far-reaching,” explained the studio. “In turn, this means we’ve had to invest a lot of care into making the world feel as though it’s moving around you, just as much as you are moving through it; from how you navigate and traverse the open-world (whether on foot or by vehicle), to the way that Skynet patrols the wasteland and hunts down those who have lingered on in the wake of Judgment Day, and the many points of interest scattered throughout.”

Ultimately, this also means that players have ample freedom in how they approach any encounter in the game’s world. While going in guns blazing is certainly an option, there will also be other choices, like long-range sniper rifles and short-barreled shotguns, and everything in between. Players can also employ stealth to sneak around the encounter, moving forward without firing a single shot.

More details about the development of Terminator: Survivors are slated to be revealed over time, with the studio confirming that its next post will revolve around the game’s world-building. We will also receive more information on other aspects, such as where in the Terminator timeline this game would fall, and how player choices will affect not only the story of the game itself, but also the rest of the overarching timeline.

Back in December, creative director Marco Ponte had revealed that the studio had cancelled its plans to add a co-op mode to the game alongside those for early access. In an update, he said that this decision came down to offering players “an authentic ‘Terminator‘ experience with the best possible shooting and exploration gameplay.”

Terminator: Survivors was originally slated for an Early Access release in 2024, before eventually being delayed to 2025. In light of the more recent delay, Nacon Studio Milan hasn’t announced any new planned release date. It is being developed for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Previously set for early access in 2024, it had been delayed to 2025, but the past several months have been bereft of new information. If there’s any consolation, it’s that Survivors will launch as a full game rather than going through early access first, arriving simultaneously for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Unfortunately, co-op multiplayer is no longer on the table. Nacon Studio Milan creative director Marco Ponte said, “Though we’ve been quiet, we haven’t been idle; this year has been productive, and we’ve made important progress across all fronts, from world design and combat to narrative depth and atmosphere.

“After months of internal testing, discussions with players and fans of the license, we came to the conclusion that to give you an authentic ‘Terminator‘ experience with the best possible shooting and exploration gameplay, we would have to put aside the cooperative multiplayer. We know this may come as a disappointment, but we believe it is the right creative direction for an uncompromising vision of the world after Judgment Day.”

The developer will share a new release date when it’s ready. However, in the meantime, there will be NDA’d closed playtests with sign-ups currently available here.

“We know expectations are high, and we can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on. For now, I can only thank you for sticking with us as we do our absolute best to create a game worthy of the Terminator legacy. We’ll be back with more news as soon as we can,” said Ponte.

Terminator: Survivors is in development for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Check out more details on its offline support and multiple drivable vehicles in the meantime.

Alongside “exciting news,” fans can also expect new gameplay footage, “never-before-seen videos,” and game announcements. Based on the publisher’s upcoming schedule, we could see new trailers and updates for titles like Dragonkin: The Banished (entering early access on March 6th), Hunting Simulator 3, and Terminator: Survivors.

The latter is especially noteworthy because it was slated to launch into Steam Early Access in October 2024 but faced a delay to early 2025. Perhaps Nacon will reveal a new release window and what players can expect at launch. Time will tell, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, the publisher confirmed at Sony’s latest State of Pay that Hell is Us will launch on September 4th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Check out the trailer here.

One key detail mentioned in the FAQ is that Terminator: Survivors will feature multiple drivable vehicles that players will be able to use for exploration, as well as for “tactical” purposes and multiplayer opportunities.

“In Terminator: Survivors, multiple drivable vehicles will be available,” Nacon writes. “The Vehicle System aims to support players’ movements across the game world and the gameplay flows, creating various exploration experiences, encouraging tactical thinking, and promoting multiplayer cooperation.”

Given the fact that Terminator: Survivors’ open world will also have a single T-800 relentlessly pursuing players, vehicles are probably going to come in very handy.

Meanwhile, in the FAQ, Nacon also confirms that Terminator: Survivors is being built on Unreal Engine 5. The game will also be playable in its entirety single-player and offline.

Terminator: Survivors launches in early access on PC on October 24.

The developer has, for instance, confirmed that though Terminator: Survivors will be fully playable in three-player co-op, those who wish to experience its entire story solo and offline will be able to do so. However, Nacon says there are “no plans” to add PvP multiplayer to the game.

While survival games are usually best played with other players, Terminator: Survivors is also seemingly focusing quite a bit on narrative.

“The game features a rich original storyline alongside secondary storylines and quests, each shedding light on the world’s history and its diverse inhabitants,” Nacon says. “Throughout the journey, players will cross paths with iconic figures from the saga as well as fresh faces, pivotal to this timeline.”

Terminator: Survivors’ open world will also feature a single stalker enemy in the form of a T-800 that will be constantly hunting players. The game will also feature multiple drivable vehicles.

Terminator: Survivor is set to launch for PC in early access on October 24.

As fans are aware, Skynet gained sentience, caused an all-out nuclear war and left the planet in ruins. The survivors are left without long-range communication and must fight over resources and territory. Meanwhile, Skynet also has a T-800 out there, hunting players. The developer clarified that there’s only one due to lore consistency and to “capture the essence of the first two films.”

“The game unfolds in 2009, shortly after the cataclysmic Judgment Day, during a period when Skynet’s production capabilities hadn’t yet reached their peak. The T-800, an infiltration unit, serves as a reminder of Skynet’s relentless pursuit across time. The T-800 encountered by players is one of these units, sent by Skynet in its desperate attempts to rewrite history and secure victory in the Future War.

“We aimed to capture the essence of the first two films, where the looming threat of an unstoppable machine instilled a sense of dread and urgency. By featuring a lone T-800 as the relentless antagonist, players are immersed in an atmosphere of constant peril and tension. Much like the protagonists in the movies, players will experience the harrowing sensation of being hunted by an adversary that knows no mercy and cannot be reasoned with.” Of course, you’ll also have to battle rival human factions.

Terminator: Survivors launches on October 24th for PC via Steam Early Access, with PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions coming later. It offers support for up to three players in co-op, with base-building and material gathering. Stay tuned for more details en route to release.

Along with the Aftermath trailer, which reveals the release date, Terminator: Survivors has also gotten a second trailer, which features creative director Marco Ponte talking about how the game’s world was envisioned.

Terminator: Survivors is set in 2009, just a few years after Judgment Day, and follows the story and rules of the first two movies in the Terminator franchise. Players will be trying to survive against Skynet before John Connor rises up to lead humanity against the threat.

No real gameplay for Terminator: Survivors has been shown off yet, and both trailers feature either CG footage showcasing the game’s themes, or concept art.

Terminator: Survivors was originally announced back in July 2022, back when it was referred to as Terminator Survival Project. For more details, check out the reveal trailer.

The trailer shows off the iconic T-800 from the Terminator movies. The game’s story or general gameplay is currently unknown. Terminator Survival Project is slated for release in the “distant future” according to the trailer’s description on YouTube, and will be coming to PC and consoles.

The last major Terminator game was Terminator: Resistance. We reviewed the game on a PS5, giving it a score of 6 out of 10. We praised it for its fantastic visual and audio design, and solid story and characters.

The Annihilation Line expansion for Terminator: Resistance did better in our review, where we gave it a score of 7 out of 10, praising its improvement of everything that made the base game good, with improved pacing.