Saros, the hotly anticipated spiritual successor to Returnal, will be at The Game Awards on December 11, PlayStation has confirmed. Fans have been anxious to learn more about the game since Housemarque first announced it earlier this year, and it’s now clear they’ll have that chance before the week is up. When The Game Awards gets underway this Thursday, Saros will be among the stacked lineup of game announcements.
Housemarque revealed Saros at the February 12 State of Play and immediately made a big impression on gamers. The studio’s last effort, Returnal, was hailed by some as one of the PS5’s best and went on to earn Best Game at the 2022 BAFTAs, and Saros is clearly following in its footsteps. Sony and Housemarque have kept the hype train going by slowly revealing more details about the game, and the next announcement now has a firm date fans can look forward to.
Saros is the Next Best Thing to Returnal 2
Housemarque’s next game, Saros, has just been announced, and though it isn’t a direct sequel to Returnal it looks like the next best thing.
PlayStation Will Reveal a New Look at Saros at The Game Awards 2025
Just two days before TGA 2025 begins, PlayStation revealed on Twitter that Saros will join the impressive list of games showing off at this year’s ceremony. The seven-second teaser doesn’t hint at anything fans can expect during the presentation, but previous rumors have suggested that Sony could open the game to pre-orders during or shortly after the awards show. Housemarque has already confirmed that Saros will launch on March 20, 2026, so with just a handful of months to go before the game comes out, it would make sense to open pre-orders soon. As spotted by Gematsu, two versions of the game have just been rated in Taiwan, potentially suggesting pre-orders are imminent.
Unlike some other games slated for a TGA 2025 announcement, Saros has already offered a fair bit of information about what players can expect from it. Housemarque Creative Director Gregory Louden has described it as the “ultimate evolution” of the company’s gameplay formula made popular by Returnal. That signature gameplay involves incorporating rougelike and bullet hell elements, and an earlier Saros trailer revealed several cool features outside what Returnal offered, including an energy-absorbing shield that should add a fun twist to the bullet hell gameplay and a bigger, more varied world to explore.
Fans also know that Saros‘ story centers around Arjun Devraj, a sci-fi soldier on a far-off world, as he battles through a time loop trying to find someone, which sounds a lot like the exploration of loss and grief Returnal gave players. The tagline “come back stronger” also hints that permanent upgrades will likely play a major role in the game. This feature gives players a bit of relief from the typically brutal conventional roguelike gameplay loop, as each attempt can theoretically get easier as characters retain upgrades unlocked in previous runs. Many recent roguelikes and roguelites offer more merciful progression systems, and it seems like Saros is following that trend.
With so much information already out there, Saros may be less of a mystery than some other TGA announcements, but Sony and Housemarque still have a chance to make a big splash. Possible reveals include pre-oders opening up, an extended look at the title’s gameplay, or what’s included in each edition. Saros isn’t the only PS5 exclusive to look forward to at the show, either. The Game Awards has also confirmed that Phantom Blade Zero will reveal its release date during the ceremonies. Both games may eventually make their way to PC or Xbox as many PS5 games have lately, but if that happens, it will be later down the road. For now, it’s a good time to be a PlayStation fan.
- Released
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March 20, 2026
- ESRB
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RP – Rating Pending
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Engine
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Proprietary
