At this point, it has been years since the last mainline Dark Pictures game from developer Supermassive Games. That game was The Devil In Me, which released on November 18th, 2022, and served as the ending for season one of The Dark Pictures Anthology. It was during the post-credit sequence of The Devil In Me that we got our first teaser for Directive 8020, which was planned to be the first game of season two.
After years in development, during a June 2025 interview with Comicbook.com, executive producer at Supermassive, Dan McDonald, revealed that the studio had decided to move away from the seasonal approach. Instead, they shifted their focus to concentrate on Directive 8020 as its own thing. At the time, Directive 8020 was scheduled for an October 2025 release. However, just a month after this interview, the game was delayed to the first half of 2026 following layoffs at the studio.
I have been waiting years for this game, and today a new release date was announced. Directive 8020 will launch on May 12th, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam). The game will be available in both physical and digital formats, with pre-orders now live across PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. PC (Steam) will be digital-only, with Steam digital pre-orders coming soon. Pre-orders include a free Deluxe Edition upgrade (while retail stocks last).
To celebrate this reveal, Supermassive has also released a new trailer, titled “Comply”. You can check it out for yourself below:
The trailer explores Directive 8020’s paranoia-fuelled decision-making where trust is fragile, and every choice can be deadly.
- Choice-Based Gameplay: Cooper, the ship’s medic, is fuelled by paranoia and faces a harrowing decision as her crewmate Mitchell pleads for release from behind a sealed door. Cooper, unknowing if he’s human or not, has a difficult decision to make. This moment underscores a core theme of Directive 8020: trust no one, as every action has consequences.
- The “Double” Reveal: Based on how the game branches and your previous decisions, Cooper can now possess the gun instead of Commander Stafford. Two identical versions of Cernan (the ship’s Engineer) rush into view, and you must choose: who is the mimic and who do you allow back into the crew? One choice will prove fatal.
- Planetary Exploration: For the first time, the trailer teases on-planet gameplay showcasing the harsh, alien landscape of Tau Ceti f.
- Talent & Track: The trailer features lead talent Lashana Lynch as pilot Brianna Young, accompanied by the track “Comply” from Brighton-based band, Blood Red Shoes.
Turning Points
Directive 8020 introduces Turning Points, a brand-new feature for The Dark Pictures that allows players to rewind and revisit key decisions, tailoring the experience to different playstyles. Whether uncovering every possible outcome or braving the story with no second chances, Turning Points gives players greater control over how they survive the horrors of deep space.
- Completionists: Track and explore alternative narrative branches and hidden endings.
- “Save my favourite character!” players: Rewind death to undo fatal mistakes and keep favourite characters alive.
- Survivors: Survivor Mode delivers the classic Dark Pictures experience – no safety nets, where every death is permanent.
