Returnal Dev’s Next Game Saros Was In Development For 3 Years; Budget Similar To Alan Wake 2

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Production In Full Swing Ahead of 2026 Launch!

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  • The team behind Returnal announced Saros earlier this year.
  • This game has been in the works for three years and is currently in production.
  • A new report outlines that it has a budget similar to that of Alan Wake 2.

PlayStation’s initial wave of first-party PS5 games included titles like Demon’s Souls Remake and Godfall. These games were then followed up by the likes of Returnal in 2021, a title that quickly made Housemarque a fan-favorite.

Returnal was later ported to PC, and soon enough, it was confirmed that Housemarque had begun recruiting for a new project. The team officially announced this game last month, and a new report outlines a few key details regarding the ongoing project.

Why it matters:  Returnal remains a fan-favorite for PS5 gamers, making the team’s follow-up exciting since many believe Retrunal is still the PS5’s best first-party offering.

According to a new report via the Housemarque CEO, Saros began development in full force as early as 2022. The project is currently in production, with PlayStation confirming a 2026 launch target.

Moreover, the report goes over Housemarque’s financial situation following the PlayStation acquisition. The team has largely benefited from the deal, securing a much bigger investment for Saros.

No exact budget has been revealed for the project, but the report estimates the game’s scope to be in line with Alan Wake 2, a title that had a very modest budget of $70 million.

This budget is significantly higher than Returnal’s, which falls somewhere between AA and AAA productions. Moreover, the game’s development timeline suggests a full gameplay reveal is likely later this year.

Saros From Housemarque
Saros Attempts To Tell A Haunting Story On A Lost Off-World Colony

Housemarque has yet to share too many details about Saros, but the game is said to differ from Returnal in one key area. Despite the common theme of a changing world upon each death, progression will carry over after each death in Housemarque’s upcoming title.

What are your thoughts on the team’s next game? Let us know in the comments, and visit the Tech4Gamers Forums to continue the discussion.

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