Unveiled last February during the Nacon conference, Terminator: Survivors is being revealed today through a FAQ and a presentation shared on Steam. Nacon Studio Milan specifies a ton of details on its next production.
The lore of Terminator: Survivors
The studio explains that it chose this timeline of the Terminator saga for “its fascinating narrative potential”. The developers want to tell the consequences, the resilience of the survivors and the genesis of John Connor's Resistance.
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In Terminator: Survivors, players traverse an environment affected by explosions and scarred by years of radiation. It's 2009 and various factions are fighting to dominate territory and vital resources. Very few people are aware of the events leading up to the dropping of the bombs and, especially early in the game, only a few know of Skynet's existence.
Skynet, of course, is not sitting idly by, preparing for war both in the present and the future to win it. If you wondered why there is a T-800 so far back in time while watching the trailer, you will discover as you play that the one sent to 1984 is just a lone pawn in the elaborate plan of Skynet to tip the balance of war in its favor.
In addition to presenting the framework of the game, the studio also answered many questions that players might have.
- Terminator: Survivors is indeed an FPS
- The game is fully playable in single player offline mode, through an original story
- Co-op multiplayer mode lets you experience the game's entire story with up to three friends. There are no plans for a player versus player mode.
- The game is developed using Unreal Engine 5.
- The doomsday in 1997 was averted by Sarah Connor in Terminator 2. During the course of the game, you will discover what happened after the events of the Terminator 2 movie and before the start of the game.
- The game features a rich original storyline, as well as storylines and side quests, which highlight the history of the world and the diversity of its inhabitants. Throughout their journey, players will encounter iconic figures from the saga as well as new faces, essential to this timeline.
- You will begin your journey with an existing foundation, linked to the story that will be told. You will then have the opportunity to expand your base by building and improving facilities.
- In Terminator: Survivors, several drivable vehicles will be available. The vehicle system aims to make it easier for players to move around the game world and game flows, create varied exploration experiences, encourage tactical thinking, and promote multiplayer cooperation.
Why is there only one T-800?
Just like in the first film, the game will only feature one and only T-800. The studio justified this decision for the sake of story coherence, but also to capture the essence of the first two films.
Story Coherence: The game takes place in 2009, shortly after the cataclysmic Judgment Day, at a time when Skynet's production capabilities have not yet reached their peak. The T-800, an infiltration unit, recalls Skynet's relentless pursuit through time. The T-800 encountered by players is one such unit, sent by Skynet in its desperate attempts to rewrite history and secure victory in the Future War.
Tone and Atmosphere: We sought to capture the essence of the first two films, where the looming threat of an unstoppable machine instilled a sense of dread and urgency. Featuring a lone T-800 as a relentless antagonist, players are immersed in an atmosphere of constant peril and tension. Like the protagonists of the films, players will experience the distressing sensation of being hunted by a merciless adversary with whom one cannot reason.
The inclusion of a single T-800 in the game not only preserves the integrity of the franchise's history, but also provides an immersive gaming experience that pays homage to the films that inspired it.
On paper, the project seems particularly respectful of the Terminator universe and should obviously intrigue fans of the saga.
Players will be able to form a first opinion on the title from October 24, 2024, the date from which Terminator: Survivors will enter the early access phase on PC. Before that, playtests will be organized, but no additional details have been delivered.
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The game will then debut on consoles at a later date.