It’s been a sparse few years for fans of the Dark Pictures Anthology, with the last full entry being released all the way back in 2022 with The Devil in Me, closing out the first chapter. Now, in 2025, we finally have concrete details on the next entry in the franchise, Directive 8020, from a release date, and story details to major characters, and everything in between.
Will the Narrator be returning, what defining gameplay mechanics does Directive 8020 have over the previous entries, what is it about? Well, we have all the answers to all your questions here!
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| This article will be constantly updated as time passes, keeping it up-to-date with the latest news regarding Directive 8020. Make sure to check back regularly! |
Directive 8020 Release Date
Originally announced at Gamescom 2024, Directive 8020 has been kept under wraps for a few months, with details slim on the ground, beyond the basic premise. Well, after a stellar showing at PlayStation’s State of Play, we now know its release date.
Currently scheduled to launch on October 2nd, 2025, the Directive 8020 release date isn’t far away, and we don’t have long to wait to get our hands on the sci-fi adventure and the many branching paths of its story.
Platforms
Directive 8020 will be a strictly next-gen affair, as its currently slated to release only on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. With the upcoming release of the Nintendo Switch 2, it’ll be interesting to see if it drops on that at a later date, but fans of the Dark Pictures Anthology still on last-gen will be missing out, at least for now.
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 realizes 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.
Players will be controlling LaShana Lynch’s Brianna Young primarily, but also controlling and learning about the backstory of the rest of the crew, and it’s down to the player to ensure they all survive, but with the horrors of the Mimic taking over everything and everyone we know, the distrust growing and the unknown being everywhere, it couldn’t be more difficult.
Multiplayer
Historically, the Dark Pictures Anthology has been multiplayer, through co-op play where each player takes control of a character. Directive 8020 is no different, and features multiplayer in the same way, allowing 5-player online co-op where players can choose to control each crew member and direct their story in their own way. This will push players into direct confrontation or amicable teamwork, the choice will be yours.
Gameplay
Directive 8020 looks to continue the Dark Pictures Anthology formula that we know and love, but firmly pushes it into the next-gen, bringing much-needed upgrades to the franchise that could firmly push it to its best version.
It features a range of real-time gameplay beyond exploring and QTEs of the franchise’s past, in the form of four new tools made for the universe, to help overcome enemies, solve puzzles, and uncover secrets.
- 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 while staying under the radar.
- 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.
With the new tools, you’ll be exploring the Cassiopeia, a spaceship that crash-landed on an alien planet, and you’ll spend as much time exploring the environments for answers as you do hiding from the terrifying Mimic. Capable of misdirection, it will transform into your crew mates at a moment’s notice, constantly making you wonder if it’s really the person you think you’re talking to or the efforts of an organism desperate to make it to Planet Earth. All of this and more in an over-the-shoulder, third-person perspective that’ll have you horrified and adrenaline-fueled in equal measure.
Characters
As already mentioned, the cast of Directive 8020 is made up of the crew of Cassiopeia, the spaceship responsible for the last hope of saving humanity. The characters involved are:
- Brianna Young – Played by Lashana Lynch, Young is the primary character of Directive 8020. An astronaut on a mission to save humanity, Young is one of the pilots of the ship.
- Commander Stafford – Voiced by Danny Sapani, Stafford is the commander and another playable character on the ship.
- Mitchell – Voiced by Colin Bates.
- Anders – Voice by Kathryn Wilder.
- Eisele – Voiced by Avital Lvova.
- Cernan – Voiced by Philip Arditti.
Directive 8020 Trailers
At present, there are two trailers for Directive 8020.
Announcement Trailer
Story Trailer
For more Thumb Wars Gaming coverage, check out all the confirmed details of The Last of Us Part 3, Rebel Wolves’ The Blood of Dawnwalker, or Ubisoft’s latest entry in the franchise with Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
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Luke Addison is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thumb Wars. Having previously been a part of multiple outlets over the years, including building an entire gaming team from nothing to something, he thought it best to forge his own path and answer only to himself. As likely to be found playing the latest game as he is in the kitchen relaxing (by cooking), he always brings the same bold and brash attitude to everything he does, with a heavy leaning on sarcasm and dry wit!
