Release Date, Platforms, Gameplay, & Story Details

One of the most exciting upcoming games of the year is Saros. First revealed during a February State of Play, and debuting more gameplay footage at another State of Play in September, Saros is a spiritual successor to the 2021 single-player roguelite Returnal, also developed by the Finnish studio Housemarque.

In many ways, Saros follows in Returnal‘s vein without being an actual sequel. It will use many of the same elements as its predecessor, but introduce an entirely new setting, characters, and upgrade system, as well as a new mystery for players to discover. Taking place on a planet haunted by an eerie eclipse, Saros follows a Soltari Enforcer as he battles enemies on an ever-changing landscape, all while searching for someone important.

Saros 2026 Release Window Explained

The Roguelite Is Likely Over A Year Away

Despite its announcement so early in 2025, Saros will be released on March 20, 2026, as confirmed in the February 2025 State of Play broadcast. For a AAA title, this timeline isn’t extremely long, especially when compared to other upcoming titles like The Elder Scrolls 6, which are sometimes announced years before gameplay footage even appears.

More details about the game were revealed during the September State of Play in an extended gameplay trailer that revealed more about the situation on Carcosa and what sort of enemies and allies the player will encounter. Further trailers may continue to reveal more about Saros prior to launch — keep an eye out for a Game Awards trailer in December.

Confirmed Platforms For Saros

A PlayStation Exclusive, For Now

Image from trailer for SAROS showing an eclipse

So far, Saros has only been confirmed for release on the PlayStation 5, which makes sense since its reveal trailer debuted at PlayStation’s State of Play.

While Saros will definitely be a PlayStation exclusive upon release, PC fans may be able to look forward to playing it on their platform in the future, as other exclusives like Marvel’s Spider-Man and even Returnal have eventually been ported to PC and added to digital storefronts like Steam.

Based on past patterns, a Saros port might take two to two-and-a-half years to arrive on PC if it does indeed happen.

Everything We Know About Saros’s Story & Gameplay So Far

A Mysterious Planet, An Unknown Goal, & Massive Enemies

The short two-minute cinematic trailer for Saros didn’t reveal too much about the upcoming game, instead offering an atmospheric look at what players can look forward to. Beginning with the main character waking up on a beach and walking towards a swirling eclipse, the trailer reveals through voice-over that this moment has happened before and that the enemy rising from the water is not new to the main character.

According to the announcement on PlayStation Blog, players will take the role of Arjun Devraj, played by English actor Rahul Kohli (iZombie, Midnight Mass).

Devraj is a Soltari Enforcer, and though what that role means hasn’t yet been revealed, his armor, weapon, and forearm device hint towards a specialized military role. Saros takes place on “a lost off-world colony on Carcosa under an ominous eclipse.”

Referencing short stories by Ambrose Bierce and Robert W. Chambers, the colony is often referred to as “Lost Carcosa,” and is dotted with Soltari ruins, suggesting it was once held or occupied by the Soltari. Their dominion over it has since lapsed, likely in a violent manner.

While the eclipse is scary enough, the trailer also reveals Devraj facing a many-armed enemy, who seems to be inspired by Hindu gods, holding a smaller version of the eclipse in each hand. This gigantic foe may hint at the type of design the rest of the enemies in Saros will have for players to face.

The world of Carcosa will change every time Devraj dies.

As for what Arjun Devraj is trying to accomplish, the blog post only reveals that he “will stop at nothing to find who he is looking for.” This vague statement could mean Devraj is searching for a family member or close friend, but it seems likely that he will be searching for a child, as the blog post hinted at the story of Saros focusing on what it takes to make a better future and the trailer began with the sound of children’s laughter.

Saros’ five-minute gameplay trailer, revealed during the September State of Play, filled in the gaps, revealing much more about the minute-to-minute action of the game. Arjun will have access to a wide variety of combat abilities, including the Soltari shield. This defensive ability can help him survive enemy onslaughts, but also absorbs the projectiles that hit it, charging explosive bursts from Arjun’s power weapon.

Saros will follow in Returnal’s footsteps for its gameplay as a roguelike with third-person action, but with a major difference. While Returnal had the main character resurrected after every death, Saros will upgrade this aspect of the game by making every death valuable with permanent resources and progression.

The world of Carcosa will change every time Devraj dies, but since he’ll be able to upgrade his armor and weapons without losing progress, he’ll be able to come back stronger each time. Arjun also gains certain perks like Second Chance, an ability that allows him to come back to life immediately.

Players will also seek out data caches, called Soltari holologs, as they explore. Peppered throughout the world, these hologram recordings will allow you to piece together the story of Carcosa and the Soltari gradually.

in Saros.

Source: PlayStation Blog