Rumor: New Sony Sci-Fi RPG In Development By XDEV (Updated)

Updated on 12 January 2023: Added information about People Can Fly.

A short video clip has been circulating online, suggesting that a new sci-fi role-playing game (RPG) is supposedly being developed by XDEV (formerly XDev Europe), a Sony-owned game development studio that publishes content exclusively for PlayStation platforms. The leaked alpha footage appears to be a new PlayStation IP developed in partnership with what was initially an undisclosed European third-party studio.

More recently, however, internet users may have identified the partnered studio in question: People Can Fly, a Polish video game developer based in Warsaw best known for producing the 2021 co-op APRG Outriders. In particular, users identified that the leaked footage included the text "RED," which was the codename for a previous People Can Fly concept project.

The leak was initially posted on Resetera and later populated to the r/GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit and an IconEra thread, where it quickly gained traction. Accordingly, leakers indicated that the game (a third-person shooter) was being built on Epic Game's next-generation Unreal Engine 5 software.

Initially, it was suspected that the leaked clip showed early development footage of an upcoming game. However, an update by leaker Dusk Golem later claimed that the leaked alpha footage was actually from an old build. "While obviously, I can't say if this will come out or not, I'll mention [that] I personally have seen a lot more of this game, and more recent stuff of this game than this clip," said Dusk Golem on Resetera.

The leaker continued, claiming that the game is "more fine-tuned" than the circulating clip and is "fully voice acted" with "music composed specifically for it." However, at this time, more meaningful information about the game remains scarce.

Admittedly, the clip is rather unpolished and shows a gun-wielding character observing a gigantic other-worldly being. It's unclear what the protagonist's role is; however, the overall setting suggests the player will be cast at the center of a decrepit, post-apocalyptic world filled with monstrous aliens and a fiery sky. In the absence of more gameplay footage, it's difficult to guess what players can expect.

That said, some Reddit users say the game resembles Resistance 2 or Mass Effect, no doubt a result of the game's seemingly dystopian setting. Still, it's worth pointing out that such early footage of games is subject to change, in which case characters and gameplay might be vastly different in the release build (case in point: the horrendous first GTA 6 leaks).

At this time, it's still unclear when we might expect an official announcement regarding this supposed Sony game IP; however, it probably won't be anytime soon. Nevertheless, we will endeavor to update you regarding further developments related to this story.

Disclaimer: Please note that the information contained in this article is based on leaks, the claims of which may or may not be true. If there are any inaccuracies, please reach out to us via the communication channels below.