According to engadget, a new AAA game for the Alien franchise is reportedly back in active development. The project, first heard about in 2022 under the codename “Marathon,” has now landed at Eidos Montreal, the studio known for Shadow of the Tomb Raider. It’s described as a single-player survival horror set on a decaying space station, with a development budget that’s been increased to less than $75 million from an initial $30 million. The game is still in early development but could potentially feature Ripley 8, the hybrid clone from Alien Resurrection. Sources say the project is currently “in a good place” and is targeting a release in 2028 across all platforms.
The Long Road to a Decaying Station
So here’s the thing about this Alien game: it’s basically a phoenix story. It was first reported, then it seemingly died, and now it’s been resurrected at a new studio. That kind of developer shuffle is rarely a sign of a smooth creative process, but landing at Eidos Montreal actually makes a ton of sense. They built Shadow of the Tomb Raider, which the report directly compares this project to. That means we’re probably not looking at a slow-burn, hide-in-a-locker horror like Alien: Isolation. This sounds more like a narrative-driven action-adventure with horror elements, where you’re probably fighting as much as you’re fleeing. And honestly? After the masterpiece that was Isolation, a different take is welcome. The budget bump to under $75 million is interesting, too. It’s not the $200+ million of a true blockbuster, but it’s a serious commitment. It signals that the publisher, likely Sega given the Alien gaming rights, believes there’s a real audience here.
Why Ripley 8 and a 2028 Date Matter
The mention of Ripley 8 is a fascinating, if risky, choice. Look, bringing back any version of Ripley is playing with fire. Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley is iconic. But Ripley 8, the human-xenomorph hybrid from the deeply weird Alien Resurrection, is a cult favorite for a reason. She offers a completely different protagonist—someone with alien DNA, enhanced abilities, and a seriously messed-up backstory. For a video game, that opens up wild gameplay possibilities that a standard human marine or colonist doesn’t. Enhanced senses? Different forms of combat? It could be brilliant. Or it could feel like a fan-service detour. We’ll have to see. And about that 2028 date… that’s a four-year wait. In game development time, that’s an eternity. It tells us this is truly starting from scratch at Eidos. That’s good for giving the team room to breathe, but it also means this project will be living in the long shadow of Alien: Romulus’s reception. If that movie hits big, the hype train will be massive. If it flops? Well, let’s just say the developers at Eidos Montreal might feel a different kind of pressure.
A Crowded Horror Landscape
Now, let’s talk about the world this game will launch into. The survival horror and action-horror space is more competitive than ever. By 2028, we’ll be years into the new generation of consoles. Capcom’s Resident Evil machine will still be churning. Silent Hill will hopefully have found its footing again. And who knows what new indie nightmare will have captured everyone’s attention. For an Alien game to stand out, it can’t just be “Tomb Raider with a Xenomorph.” It needs a strong identity. The decaying space station setting is classic Alien, but it needs to feel meaningfully different from the Nostromo, Sevastopol Station, or the derelict Engineer ship. The real advantage here is the power of the franchise itself. When done right, like with Isolation or even the older AvP games, it’s pure magic. There’s a built-in, passionate fanbase that’s desperate for a great interactive experience. Eidos Montreal has the pedigree and now, apparently, the budget. They just have to navigate the development hell this project already emerged from once. No pressure, right?
