Acclaimed horror game team Frictional Games has been teasing its next title for some time. However, the studio took to The Game Awards to finally give this title a proper reveal. It’s called Ontos, and it’s clearly calling back to one of Frictional’s most acclaimed games, Soma.
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Ontos is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC at some undisclosed point in 2026. Frictional directly references Soma in both the trailer and YouTube description for the trailer. And judging by said trailer, it’s easy to see why.
The game seems to be much more psychological with its questioning of existence and how it’s using science fiction to explore those questions. Frictional notes that players “must confront disturbing revelations about the nature of reality” and that “beliefs will be questioned.” The aforementioned description also implies that there will be a branching narrative and players will have to “choose [their] path and face the consequences.”
2015’s Soma was also a horror game that dove into questions about identity and sense of self. While slightly less focused on horror than Amnesia, Frictional’s other series, it was acclaimed for its more mature and layered narrative.
The voice in the trailer may have sounded familiar to some, as it was Stellan Skarsgård, an actor known for his roles in Andor, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, and Mamma Mia!. The trailer seems to briefly show his lavishly dressed character.
Ontos‘ Steam page has even more details. It gestures at vague experiments, “the ultimate truth,” and how players need to have foresight. And while Amnesia may not have been directly mentioned, it seems as though Frictional is continuing with the precedent set by Amnesia: The Bunker with its “tactile, systems-driven gameplay.” Players will also have to scavenge materials, control machinery, and plan ahead. And like The Bunker, puzzles will not be have one solution.
The bunker in The Bunker was also somewhat of a labyrinth and the moon base Samsara in Ontos will be one, as well, with its various casinos, theatre stages, pools, caves, and more. These places also will hold multiple factions and secrets, according to Frictional.
The studio began teasing this game a few months ago through mysterious websites, vague videos, and an ominous patch for Soma that contained obscure Easter eggs.
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