Directive 8020, the next game from Supermassive Games’ long-running Dark Pictures Anthology, is officially coming out this May 12. Read on to learn more about this upcoming sci-fi horror and additional details.
Directive 8020 Release Date, Story, and Sci-Fi Horror Details Revealed
A New Release Date and Story Details Unveiled
Sci-fi horror title Directive 8020 is set to launch on May 12, 2026. The title was initially scheduled for release on October 2, 2025, but was delayed to 2026 following the company’s layoffs in 2025. With a new release date trailer revealed today, the studio has officially confirmed the game’s May launch.
Created by Supermassive Games, the studio behind cinematic horror titles such as Until Dawn and The Quarry, Directive 8020 takes players into the far reaches of space where the earth is dying, prompting humanity to send the colony ship Cassiopeia twelve light-years from home. After crash-landing on a distant planet, the crew encounters a mysterious alien organism capable of mimicking its prey.
Much like other titles in The Dark Pictures Anthology, Directive 8020 features multiple playable characters. Players will control five crew members, each with their own unique paths and character arcs, navigating the dangers of deep space and racking their brains on who to trust. Continuing the series’ tradition of casting major Hollywood talent, the game stars Bond actor Lashana Lynch as Brianna Young, one of the game’s five central protagonists and a member of the human colony responsible for finding a new haven.
The trailer showed snippets of what to expect from this sci-fi horror. The Cassiopeia crew members were seen running away from what looks like an amalgam of mutated flesh aboard the space station. In addition to that, The Dark Pictures’ signature choice system was also teased in the trailer, showing two complex decisions that the players will eventually make in their journey.
The Dark Pictures Anthology’s First Sci-Fi Horror
Unlike previous Supermassive Games releases, which are mostly rooted in supernatural elements and the occasional psychological dread, Directive 8020 fully embraces sci-fi as its foundations for horror. Creative director Will Doyle previously described the project as "The Thing in deep space" in an interview with GamesRadar+, signaling a focus on paranoia, mistrust, and survival. - The game draws inspiration from iconic sci-fi horror films such as Alien, Event Horizon, and Prometheus, leaning heavily into themes of Lovecraftian horror and existential dread.
Despite the shift in horror setting, Supermassive Games has confirmed, both on its official website and through the newly released trailer, that the core DNA of The Dark Pictures Anthology remains intact. Branching narratives, quick-time events, and morally complex decisions all make their grand return. In previous entries, like The Devil in Me and Man of Medan, characters could perish if players made less than ideal choices, and with Directive 8020’s cast of five major crew members, it’s highly likely the game will follow the same high-stakes style.
What sets Directive 8020 apart, however, is its expanded exploration and refined gameplay systems, like avoiding the prying eyes of the alien threats through stealth missions, which were highlighted in the latest trailer. New tools will also be available to combat against the unwelcome visitor: a Scanner for detecting electronics and distracting enemies, a Messenger system for communicating with other crew members, and a Wedge Tool designed for opening doors but also usable to temporarily stun enemies.
Directive 8020 is set to release on May 12, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Players who pre-order the game as soon as possible can receive the Digital Deluxe Edition upgrade for free, which includes cosmetics, artbooks, and more.
Source:
Official Steam Page with New Details
Directive 8020 Creative Director Calls the Game "The Thing in Deep Space."
Directive 8020 Release Date Reveal Trailer
