VR veteran studio Survios and 20th Century Games announced back in 2022 they were building a new game for VR, PC and console based on the well known sci-fi franchise Alien. Though we’ve heard very little about the project since, we have fresh confirmation the game is still in the works.

Update (March 19th, 2024): It’s been more than a year and a half since developer Suvrios announced development of an Alien game, but since then the studio has been very quiet; we still haven’t seen any gameplay footage, let alone screenshots. In this volatile time in the gaming industry—with studio closures and layoffs abound—it’s never a sure thing that a game will actually make it to market.

Fortunately we now have word that the game is still in active development.

This week at GDC 2024, Survios CTO Alexander Silkin gave a presentation covering some of the challenges and opportunities of building a VR game with Unreal Engine 5. In the session description the studio clearly affirms: “Survios is utilizing these techniques to develop an upcoming VR game based on the Alien franchise.”

Considering the game still hasn’t had a formal gameplay reveal, we’re not expecting the talk itself will reveal much beyond technical development details, but at least we know the game is still in the works.

The original article, detailing the game’s development announcement, continues below.

Original Article (July 15th, 2022): The single-player, action horror game is untitled for now, however it’s said to feature an original storyline, set between the Alien and Aliens films, where a “battle hardened veteran has a vendetta against the Xenomorphs.”

From that description it doesn’t sound like we’ll be hiding much in closets and skulking around corridors à la Alien: Isolationone of the earliest non-VR games to include a VR mode that actually worked really well—but you never know.

Besides the fact that it’s being developed in Unreal Engine 5, there’s still much to learn about Survios’ next title. We’re sure to hear more at the San Diego Comic-Con panel on July 21st though called “Alien: Expanding a Dark and Frightening Universe”, so stay tuned.

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“When I joined Survios in 2020, it was to build bigger, more ambitious games, using the best entertainment franchises across console, PC, and VR platforms,” said TQ Jefferson, Chief Product Officer at Survios. “Aliens is a distinct and terrifying world that fans love to be entrenched in, and it is perfect for Survios’ proven expertise in creating immersive gaming experiences.”

“The vast universe of Alien is full of untold stories, and opportunities to create gripping original games,” said Luigi Priore, vice president, Disney, Pixar and 20th Century Games. “We’re thrilled to work with a team like Survios who shares our passion for Alien, and for immersing fans into new worlds and experiences.”

Survios, a veteran in VR gaming, is known a number of VR titles over the years. It’s developed titles based on its own IP, including Sprint Vector, Battlewake, Electonauts, and Raw Data, and has also partnered to develop VR games around third-party IP such as Creed: Rise to Glory, The Walking Dead Onslaught, and Puzzle Bobble VR.

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Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 4,000 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • I hope it’s good, I hope it’s good, I hope it’s good…

  • Patrick Hogenboom

    Nope, nope, nope
    I’ll let you guys tell me how scary it was

  • NL_VR

    Its Game over man, game oooover

    • Andrew Jakobs

      Why?

      • mirak

        watch the movie

        • Andrew Jakobs

          Which one? It’s been a while since I last saw them. I can’t remember the quote.

          • NL_VR

            Sorry the quote was not 100% correct.
            Thats it man, game over man, game ooover

          • Andrew Jakobs

            ahh, from Aliens 2.

    • Max-Dmg

      The princess is in another castle.

  • dextrovix

    I adore Alien Isolation, so atmospheric. I’m hoping for more scares- please Survios, don’t do a Gearbox on us and deliver a mediocre title like Colonial Marines…!

  • Andrew Jakobs

    Still hope there will be an official release of Alien Isolation with full motioncontroller support.

    • As do pretty much all of us.

    • DoctorSchlock

      Considering that Fox released a feature-length “movie” of Alien: Isolation a few years ago as part of its Alien Day event (yes, really), re-releasing Alien: Isolation with full VR support should be on Fox’s agenda.

  • mirak

    Alien games where already super scary on a monitor …

    • Max-Dmg

      Even more in real life.

      • mirak

        We will get PTSD through VR games.
        I think I have some PTSD from Brookhaven Experiment, I have to finish it since 4 years, but don’t dare doing it https://media2.giphy.com/media/26ufaecf1f8TCqGty/giphy.gif

        • Max-Dmg

          After that, play Paranormal Activity VR.

          • Harbaldne

            This is what I’ve been talking about before. VR is shouldn’t be simulated nightmares. It will ultimately lead to PTSD or desentisizing a large group of people over time.

            Although I’m not saying I’m against scary VR experiences, just that I think there’s a huge opportunity for developers to create and offer amazing “good dreams” for customers. Which is why I’m into VR in the first place personally.

          • Derek Kent

            Oh give us a break..

          • Nevets

            Even more devaluing of the term PTSD.

    • kool

      Yeah, I quit playing by my second encounter with the xenomorph.

  • Max-Dmg

    Alien Isolation was amazing in VR, and what an atmosphere.

    • Derek Kent

      It would be neat of them to actually put a VR mode in it for real, not just to play a modded version with your arms sticking out of your face.

      • Max-Dmg

        Yeah, for some reason the game companies never bother to do this fun stuff.

  • disqus_o4N8KCTF90

    Please dont be a shooter.

    Hopefully it’s a similar concept to alien isolation with a brilliant tense atmosphere.

    Seeing a distant blip on the motion tracker that then disappears, only to reappear moments later racing towards you. That frantic rush to find somewhere to hide when in an open space. The tension was amazing.

    Alien isolation got it spot on.

    • Andrew Jakobs

      And that’s something I don’t like, a survival game, it’s exactly those sequences that I hate in Westworld awakenings. I hope it’s more an adventure/puzzle game with some survival and some shooting elements.

    • Derek Kent

      If it’s a scary sneaky survival game but also has shooting in it so be it. that’d be fun.

  • Not sure they have quite the calibre I think a license like this needs to be truly specially, especially when we all know an official VR version of Alien Isolation would likely surpass anything else in the pipeline, but I’m just happy a VR version of an Alien game is at least happening. I hope it’s good.

    • silvaring

      They have the vr experience, raw data is proof that they know how to make really good room action on a small budget. Give them some big budget support and i think they could hit a home run.

  • Nevets

    That’s a hell of an illustration at the top…

  • Nevets

    Unfortunately many games are just rubbish. If they can combine both the shooter and the creepy survival elements they will please everybody and there is no reason why this isn’t possible. But manage your expectations because more likely than not the game will be mediocre.

    • NL_VR

      You can always hope it turns out good.

      • Nevets

        Well, quite. Hope is always the last thing to die.