John Carpenter's Toxic Commando has aired a new trailer at Gamescom 2025, showing some fast-paced gameplay and confirming an early 2026 release window. Developed by Saber Interactive, John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is an action-horror game set in a post-apocalyptic world and is a collaboration with renowned horror film director, John Carpenter.
At Summer Game Fest in June 2023, John Carpenter's Toxic Commando was first announced and revealed to be a co-op FPS game inspired by '80s horror and action flicks. Despite originally targeting a 2024 launch, the Focus Entertainment-published title slipped behind schedule and was delayed with little to no information about a new release date. After a prolonged silence, all the doubts surrounding the status of the project have now been dispelled, thanks to the latest update delivered by its devs.
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando Unveils New Gameplay and Release Window
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando made an unexpected appearance during Gamescom Opening Night Live and revealed a brand-new gameplay trailer that locked down its early 2026 release plans. From the monster-infested world to the gritty violence, the freshly aired clip highlights different aspects of the zombie game. Apart from rapid shooting sequences, the trailer also gave fans a look at Toxic Commando's adrenaline-pumping vehicular combat, featuring big trucks and cannon-toting tanks. Additionally, there are a ton of weapons on display in the trailer, ranging from a flamethrower to a katana.
The devs shared that John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is set in a world corrupted by an experiment-gone-wrong. The game was described as having a "buddy movie" aura, along with the "over-the-top humor, action, and horror" of a typical '80s film, which was crafted together with Carpenter. They also revealed that players will get to pick a character, a class, and a vehicle before they begin slaying undead foes, using everything from guns to special powers. It is also possible to upgrade a player's in-game skills or even unlock new ones. Moreover, the shooter was confirmed to feature four-player co-op with crossplay support across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Lucky for John Carpenter fans and horror enthusiasts, Toxic Commando received a long-overdue sit rep, at last. With still months to go for its release window to arrive, fans can expect Saber Interactive to dole out more information about the title, alongside new gameplay footage, in the coming months. Once the launch day arrives, it will be intriguing to see how gamers and followers of the American filmmaker compare the upcoming action-heavy game to his other works.
