When Frictional Games released by SOMA back in 2015, the survival horror genre has undergone a radical, unforgettable transformation. Instead of relying solely on over-the-top animation, the studio designed a bleak, philosophical sci-fi narrative that forced players to question the very fabric of human consciousness and artificial life – all while delivering a stunning horror game.
Combined with their work on the Amnesia franchise, the developers have spent years sitting comfortably on the pedestal as undisputed masters of the psychedelic. Naturally, when it was first heard that the group was working on a new cosmic mystery called ONTOSthe public immediately paid full attention to it. However, it seems that our journey into the unknown depths will require more patience.
Severe Delay in Ambition
In a recent update that was shared across social media that sent the horror community into a frenzy, the publisher Kepler Interactivealongside the creative team at Frictional Games, have officially announced a major strategic change for their upcoming project, ONTOS.
Instead of hitting the stores earlier this year as originally intended, the highly anticipated sci-fi game has been completely pulled from its calendar slot. ONTOS is now slated to make its dark debut sometime in 2027, and, unfortunately, the development team hasn’t given a specific release window beyond that broad year.
While hearing that the title won’t make its promised one-year deadline is always a tough pill to swallow, the developers were quick to explain why the extra development time is important to the quality of the game – and it’s actually good news in the grand scheme of things.
ONTOS is now slated to make its dark debut sometime in 2027, and, unfortunately, the development team hasn’t given a specific release window beyond that broad year.
According to their statement, the quality of games Frictional Games is trying to create at this time has surpassed anything they have tried in the past. So, to ensure that the critical layers of horror stories and environmental storytelling come together seamlessly, taking the project out the door was not a viable option.
“ONTOS is our most ambitious game to date, both in terms of its size and scale, as well as the depth and layers of our story and gameplay,” a joint official statement from Frictional Games and Kepler Interactive reads. “In order to deliver this vision, we decided to push the release of ONTOS to 2027.”
So let’s look on the bright side for a brief second: while waiting another full calendar year for a soulful replacement in SOMA might feel a bit bleak, giving the high-concept game more time in the oven is probably the right move. After all, no one likes the idea of dealing with technical glitches or unpolished game mechanics on top of the biggest threat in a horror game.
Finally, the studio also promised that they will not leave us empty-handed until then, confirming that they plan to share more about this mysterious world and its unique characters in the near future.
In any case, we will have to wait a while before we can finally reveal any of the terrifying mysteries that lurk in the dark corners of this new IP. I’m sad that we won’t be able to get ONTOS this October, especially since my dumb season is already demanding a large dose of Frictional Games’ signature horror. But if the result is another sci-fi masterpiece that rivals the genius of SOMA, then 2027 can’t come soon enough!
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