Supermassive Games Debuts Story Trailer and Release Date for New Sci-Fi Horror Adventure Directive 8020

New game details revealed in Sony State of Play

Debuted at Sony’s State of Play showcase, this new trailer takes fans deeper into the dangers onboard the spaceship Cassiopeia, teasing new characters, environments, potential death scenes and a deadly alien threat.

“The team at Supermassive Games has worked tirelessly to craft a narrative experience that melds sci-fi exploration with spine-chilling horror, where every choice could lead to a disastrous death.  Today we’re unveiling some new layers to our story, exploring fragile alliances, unseen threats, and the limits of human resilience when faced with our deepest fears. We’re venturing into uncharted territory: the unsettling abyss of space.” - Will Doyle, Creative Director at Supermassive Games.

story

Earth is dying and humanity is running out of time. Twelve light years from home, Tau Ceti f offers a small sliver of hope. When the colony ship Cassiopeia crash lands on the planet, its crew soon realize they are far from being alone.

Hunted by an alien organism capable of mimicking its prey, the crew of the Cassiopeia must outwit their pursuers to make it home alive. As they battle to survive, they are confronted with the hardest choice of all: to save themselves, they must risk the lives of everyone on Earth.

In space, death takes many forms.

Key Features

alien invasion

The colony ship Cassiopeia is infected with an alien organism, capable of transforming into any member of the crew. While you may be human, others in your crew may not be, and killers can hide behind familiar eyes. New stealth mechanics have been added to help players evade these deadly foes: you must keep your wits about you as enemies can emerge from unexpected places and you’ll need to sneak and hide to get past these deadly alien stalkers.

Brave recruits

Introducing the Cassiopeia’s crew. You’ll control five crew members over the course of this expedition, but as paranoia and fear builds, so does distrust. With their lives in your hands, your decisions will determine not only the crew’s fate, but all of humanities too.

NEW MECHANICS

Directive 8020 introduces several new tools. Throughout the game, you can use these to locate secrets, solve puzzles and overcome enemies.
The mission is all about survival, so every tool has its purpose in helping you think on your feet and staying alive.

  • The Flashlight - As is to be expected from our games, you’ll spend a lot of time creeping around in the dark! Just be careful when using your flashlight, as aliens can spot the beam. 

  • The Scanner - You'll have a scanner at your disposal for detecting electronics and remotely activating systems, helping to distract enemies and overcome obstacles. 

  • The Messenger - If you’re trying to stay under the radar, your messenger lets you communicate and strategize with crewmates. 

  • The Wedge Tool - Made for opening doors… but as a last resort, can also be used as a weapon to temporarily stun enemies, giving you a chance to slip away and evade death.

THE DARK PICTURES

Fans of Supermassive Games’ previous releases will be pleased to know that the DNA of the Dark Pictures is still present – in fact, everything you love about the Dark Pictures is still here, from branching plotlines through to impossible choices and split second QTE’s. In addition, gameplay has been redesigned, polished, and amped up to bring more of a threat when exploring the environment.  

Directive 8020 is coming September 30th 2025, with pre-orders available from June 2025.