Fans of John Carpenter’s Escape From New York missed out on an incredible game based on the film, and a recent leak shows what was lost. Despite being an action classic that should have spawned more than a single movie sequel, the 1981 film has only seen a board game adaptation, a cancelled anime spinoff, and at least two cancelled video games. Fans have yet to play a proper game as Lieutenant S.D. Bob “Snake” Plissken, which is a shame. While the most recent attempted game was cancelled in 2024, this new leak offers a glimpse into what it could have been.
Videos by ComicBook.com
On November 17, 2025, Hector Ze Diekomen uploaded 18 videos comprising more than an hour of gameplay from Escape From New York: The Game, which was under development by Embracer Group’s Slipgate Ironworks. The videos show snippets of potential gameplay, many of which include only placeholder graphics and boundaries, as it wasn’t close to completion when it was cancelled. Still, there are views of some weapons, animations, a familiar wireframe image of New York City, NPCs, mobs, and much more. Given the level of development seen in the videos, it looks as if the game was true to the source material.
Over an Hour of Gameplay Reveals the Escape From New York That Could Have Been
The game had been in development for some time, but it was cancelled in January 2024. At the time, this was reported as being due to “significant issues regarding the development process,” but it turned out to be worse than that. Embracer undertook a considerable reduction in staff as part of a restructuring campaign, resulting in a swathe of layoffs. This resulted in the closure of several studios under its banner, the cancellation of multiple projects, and the loss of employment for many people. The restructuring was due to a $2 billion partnership with an undisclosed company.
With the game’s cancellation, resulting from the restructuring, it seemed the whole thing was dead. Fortunately, the leak revealed some of the game’s assets as they existed when the project was killed. While they don’t reveal as much as one might prefer, there’s plenty to glean from the videos posted on YouTube. These provide the game’s builds and show its development maps, assets, weapons, and several animations. They also include the playable characters, their skills, and the mechanics that were still works-in-progress. One of the videos shows 15 minutes of gameplay, offering a glimpse into what the game might have been like upon completion.
If Escape From New York: The Game had made it through development to release, it likely would have included co-op and multiplayer modes and been powered by Unreal Engine 5. There would have been at least three playable characters, and players would select these to navigate through the levels. Unfortunately, given the state of development at the time of cancellation, it’s unlikely that the game will ever be completed. It still could, so there’s a glimmer of hope, but it would likely have to be sold to another studio, which would probably result in a complete overhaul of what has been completed thus far.
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Image Courtesy of Toei Animation -
Image Courtesy of Studio Pierrot
