Until Dawn Developer Announces Release Date for Long-Awaited Sci-Fi Horror Directive 8020

Supermassive Games has finally nailed down when we’ll get to play Directive 8020, its next slice of narrative horror.

The sci-fi survival game will launch on May 12 for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. On consoles, pre-orders are available now, and physical editions will also be offered. Pre-orders unlock a free Deluxe Edition upgrade containing an outfit pack and collectables themed around the studio’s past Dark Pictures games, a cinematic filter pack, plus a digital soundtrack and artbook.

Starring Bond actress Lashana Lynch, Directive 8020 sees Until Dawn, The Quarry and Little Nightmares 3 maker Supermassive Games tackle sci-fi, in a story set on the crashed colony spaceship Cassiopeia.

Directive 8020 features various familiar hallmarks from past Supermassive games: multiple protagonists, choice-based gameplay, and the ability for main characters to die mid-story if you’re not careful. But there are notable upgrades here too — which is part of the reason why the game has taken so long to launch.

In development since at least 2022, Directive 8020 marks a shift away from the studio’s annual release pattern seen in previous The Dark Pictures Anthology titles. The game was previously announced for launch in October 2025, though was pushed back due to the impact of a fresh wave of redundancies.

Alongside improved visuals, controls and stealth mechanics, another new feature is the ability to rewind and revisit key “Turning Points” in the story to explore alternate storylines and potentially save character deaths. (For series veterans, an option to play without this will also be featured — ensuring your decisions stay final.)

Single-player and up to 5-player couch co-op will be available from launch on May 12, though online multiplayer will arrive in a free post-launch update.

Directive 8020 will arrive three and half years after the launch of the last main The Dark Pictures Anthology title, The Devil in Me. This time around, however, Supermassive has said Directive 8020 is planned to be even more standalone (so don’t expect to see much of the franchise’s recurring Curator).

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social