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.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater set the internet ablaze with hype and anticipation when it was announced, and while some snippets of the gameplay have been revealed already – we are still waiting for sort of a launch trailer or a gameplay deep dive before we reach its imminent release date of August 28.

Split Fiction

From the team which created A Way Out and It Takes Two, co-op specialists Hazelight Studios are set to deliver another boundary smashing co-op-only experience with Split Fiction, a shared odyssey through colliding sci-fi and fantasy worlds as authored by our two protagonists Mio and Zoe. Exploring chaotic, imaginative scenery together, the two novelists discover the value of companionship, forging unique skills and abilities to escape a wide variety of fantastical situations.

Project TH

Invariably these ‘Project X’ dubbed games get announced, generate hype, never materialise, then evaporate into thin air. Project TH appears to have strong chance it’ll release though, with well-known Korean actors involved in its production plus developer EVR Studio already an established company with Hollywood VFX credits to its name. If Project TH does release then, oh boy, we’re in for a treat. With stealth-action straight out of the Ubisoft playbook ala Splinter Cell and The Division, Project TH also demonstrates photorealistic visuals, lifelike character animation, and strikingly cinematic set pieces. Of course, there’s no official release date or platforms announced, but expect it to be current-gen and PC only.

In a Steam Community post, the developer said it’s “working very hard to bring the post-apocalyptic world of Terminator to life” and craft a “deep, immersive experience where each decision you make is crucial to your survival.” While it’s impressed with the response and enthusiasm from fans, it requires “additional time” to ensure the title meets expectations.

Terminator: Survivors will arrive on PC first via early access, Version 1.0 will coincide with a launch for Xbox Series X/S and PS5. The setting is four years after Skynet’s rise, where players assume the role of survivors trying to escape and outwit the lone T-800 hunting them.

While it supports up to four players, the title is also playable solo (and offline) as you gather resources, build your home base, and even embark on a storyline delving into the events of Judgment Day. Stay tuned for more details and gameplay in the coming months.

The video starts off with new details and insight on the game’s setting, and why the development team felt it suited the survival genre perfectly, while the developers also touch upon how the game takes inspiration from the Terminator movies- the first two in particular. Something in particular that Nacon is seemingly placing quite a bit of emphasis on is the T-800 Terminator that will serve as a stalker enemy in the game.

Beyond that, the behind-the-scenes video also offers further details on the game’s combat and stealth mechanics and how they will tie into things such as resource management, the human factions that players will encounters in the game’s world, and the aforementioned T-800 that will always be on the hunt for human prey. Check out the video below for more details.

Terminator: Survivors will launch in early access for PC on October 24.

ONCE HUMAN

Due out sometime later this year, fans of the survival genre have had their eyes on Once Human for a while. Its post-apocalyptic setting is looking promising, especially with the variety of truly horrific monstrosities that players will be contending with, while everything that we’ve seen of its customization and progression mechanics, base building, and survival systems (which include a Sanity system) has looked quite enticing as well.

THE FIRST DESCENDANT

Nexon’s third-person shooter The First Descendant has been on quite a few radars for a couple of years now. Part-Warframe, part-Destiny, the looter shooter is promising fast combat, bombastic boss fights, and a variety of different weapons and playable characters, with the latter all coming with their own unique play styles. After a couple of beta tests over the last year, The First Descendant is due out this Summer.

WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE 2

Space Marine 2 is looking like an enticing game even if you intend to play through it solo, but true to its Gears of War-inspired lineage, co-op is going to be a huge part of the experience. The entire campaign can be played by three players together, and that’s quite an exciting prospect, especially given the bombastic, high-octane, gory action that the game is looking like it’s going to deliver.

PANICORE

A co-op survival horror game? Sign us the hell up. Panicor will see a group of five players – playing as daredevil explorers – finding themselves trapped in abandoned, urban buildings, and with a terrifying monster chasing you every stop of the way, your goal is to hide, outwit your nightmarish foe, and find a way out. Not only will players have to work together to solve elaborate puzzles and effectively explore their environments, they’ll also be constantly contending with a pursuer enemy that can literally hear every single step you take.

DESTINY 2: THE FINAL SHAPE

Destiny 2 has had as many ups as it has had downs, but where its upcoming expansion, The Final Shape, most of what Bungie has shown off so far gives us reason to be optimistic (not that there haven’t been controversial reveals- but then again, with Destiny, there are always going to be controversial reveals). On top of its new story content, the expansion is promising a new enemy race, another new subclass, new Light-based supers, significant changes to the Power level system, the return of exotic items, and much more. It’s looking increasingly likely that The Final Shape will be Destiny 2’s last major expansion (especially with recent reports claiming that Destiny 3 is in the works), so here’s hoping the long-running looter shooter signs off on a high note.

JOHN CARPENTER’S TOXIC COMMANDO

Space Marine 2 isn’t the only gleefully gory co-op game Saber Interactive is working on. John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is due out sometime this year, and it’s looking like an absolute riot so far. With the promise of over-the-top gore and humour, thrilling co-op action against massive hordes of undead enemies, and more, this first-person shooter has certainly ensured that many are going to be keeping their eye on it.

LITTLE NIGHTMARES 3

Even though Little Nightmares games have always made companion characters a core part of the experience, co-op has never been a part of the equation. That’s changed with the upcoming Little Nightmares 3, and we’re more than a little excited about that. The series’ brand of gameplay is one that would lend itself remarkably well to co-op gameplay, especially given the intense horror set-pieces that Little Nightmares games love so dearly. The fact that co-op in Little Nightmares 3 is going to be online only is disappointing, but hopefully Supermassive Games and Bandai Namco will add a couch co-op option down the line.

OUTWARD 2

Nine Dots’ 2019 action RPG Outward may not have set the world on fire, but its sequel is making some interesting promises. In addition to bringing back the first game’s gruelingly unforgiving approach to difficulty, Outward 2 is also set to boast much higher production values, according to its developer, which should hopefully make its world a much more engaging one. Though the action RPG can certainly be played solo, co-op – whether local or online, splitscreen or otherwise – is exactly the sort of thing that can make its massively challenging obstacles that much more interesting.

NO REST FOR THE WICKED

Given how good the Ori games were, it’s no surprise that Moon Studios’ No Rest for the Wicked has as many eyes on it as it does, and thus far, it’s looking like the action RPG is set to be another impressive notch on the developer’s belt. Though its recent early access release wasn’t without its issues, the core gameplay experience is undoubtedly a strong one. So far, the game is only playable solo, but its first major update will be adding four-player co-op, which we’re looking forward to keenly.

MECHWARRIOR 5: CLANS

With its promise of a story-driven experience, MechWarrior 5: Clans has got plenty of fans’ attention who may have been let down by some of the series’ more recent outings, but based on what we know of the game so far, it’s looking like its inclusion of five-player co-op may be just as big of a selling point. There’s plenty of enjoyment to get out of MechWarrior’s brand of action regardless, but the addition of four players stomping about in mechs by your side is likely to make things a little bit more interesting.

MONSTER HUNTER WILDS

Obviously, we need to have the next Monster Hunter game on a list about the most promising upcoming co-op games. There’s nothing quite like setting out on hunts with a squad of friends and taking on the series’ staggering variety of incredibly designed monsters in combat. Even if Monster Hunter Wilds was just a straightforward iteration of that formula, there’d be every reason to look forward to it, but with Capcom promising some significant evolutions for the series’ tried-and-tested formula, our excitement is sky-high.

TEMTEM SWARM

After attempting to emulate Pokemon with Temtem, Crema is now looking to take a page out of Vampire Survivors’ book with the upcoming spinoff Temtem Swarm. Built around three-player co-op, Temtem Swarm will see players engaging in frenetic top-down action and playing as cute little Temtem gunning down hordes of their own kind. It’s certainly a bizarre premise, and the game’s announcement has been met with a fair bit of backlash by the Temtem community, but we’re certainly keeping our eyes on this one.

TERMINATOR: SURVIVORS

A Terminator survival game set after Judgment Day is an elevator pitch that’s bound to grab your attention. Terminator: Survivors will see players exploring an open world setting, scavenging resources to bring back to an ever-expanding base. The hook, of course, that you’ll have to do all of this with the terrifying threat of Skynet and its machines constantly looming over you. Due out this October and playable both solo and co-op, Terminator: Survivors is definitely one we can’t wait to get our hands on.

BORDERLANDS 4

We know next to nothing about Borderlands 4 so far. Hell, it hasn’t even been officially unveiled yet. But 2K and Gearbox Entertainment have confirmed that the co-op looter shooter is in development, which, given the series’ pedigree, is enough to turn more than a few heads. How Borderlands 4 will evolve and build on the series’ formula remains to be seen, but this is a franchise that has been remarkably consistent over the years, so it’s definitely got our attention.

CONTRABAND

Avalanche Studios has built its fair share of compelling open world experiences in the past, so it’s no surprise that Contraband – a co-op open world game being made exclusively for Xbox Series X/S and PC with the full backing of Microsoft – has piqued so many people’s curiosity. Other than a logo reveal disguised as an announcement trailer, we’ve seen nothing of the game so far, but the prospect of a heist-based co-op open world sandbox is an exciting one, so hopefully, we’ll be seeing more of Contraband in the not-too-distant future.

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.