Directive 8020 is the next horror title to come from Supermassive Games, and it’s promising a spine-chilling story that is reminiscent of The Thing and Alien. The Dark Pictures Anthology is a unique take on a horror series, and Directive 8020 marks the beginning of its second season. However, this upcoming sci-fi horror tale has a subtle difference compared to its fellow Dark Pictures counterparts.
In the past, The Dark Pictures title has always come first before each new chapter’s name. However, this time around, it appears that The Dark Pictures name has been saved for last. Instead of titles like The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes, this next chapter is titled Directive 8020: A Dark Pictures Game. It’s a small change that may ultimately hold a lot of significance in terms of the game’s overall scope.
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Directive 8020’s Name Change Suggests a Different Direction for The Dark Pictures’ Second Season
The First Season Brought Scares, But in Small Doses
- Man of Medan – 4.5 hours in length
- Little Hope – 5 hours in length
- House of Ashes – 6 hours in length
- The Devil in Me – 6-7 hours in length
Of course, the run times for each game are just rough estimates, but every entry in the first season of The Dark Pictures Anthology has been quite short. This doesn’t make the games less fun, but there are some plot and lore points throughout each chapter that could warrant more time exploring. Not every Supermassive Games project is so short, though. Until Dawn and The Quarry both share the same formula as The Dark Pictures Anthology, but their run times are a bit longer.
- Until Dawn – 8-10 hours
- The Quarry – 10 hours
When looking at the Supermassive Games roster, The Dark Pictures Anthology is more like a TV series, while Until Dawn and The Quarry are full-length movies. The larger budget and time given to the latter allow for more story to be told, and that’s what makes Directive 8020‘s title switch-up so intriguing. It’s still connected to The Dark Pictures Anthology, but the branding makes sure to feature its own name front and center before the anthology title.
A live-action film adaptation of Until Dawn is set to release this year. Actor Peter Stormare is the only member of the original cast confirmed to return.
While this title change could simply be a new way to market the anthology series, it also feels like there is a larger meaning behind such a seemingly menial shift. It makes one wonder if Directive 8020 could be larger in scope like Until Dawn and The Quarry and Supermassive Games is simply using the recognition of The Dark Pictures Anthology brand to give the game an extra boost.
A longer Dark Pictures entry would be an intriguing prospect, as it could make the game’s story feel more fleshed out compared to some of the first season’s chapters. Downplaying the importance of The Dark Pictures‘ name is an interesting choice, and once the game launches, it will be exciting to see just why Supermassive Games made such a decision.
Directive 8020 is scheduled to launch on October 2, 2025. The game will be available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Directive 8020 Aims to Bring the Scares Later This Year
Directive 8020 is one of the few games to commit to a fall release date right now. With reports that GTA 6 is eyeing that timeframe, a lot of developers seem to be strategically planning to avoid releasing close to Rockstar’s upcoming title. However, Directive 8020 has the advantage of being a horror game releasing in October, so it’s bound to attract the attention of those wishing for a scary experience leading up to Halloween. Once it gets closer to the horror season, it will be exciting to find out if there is actually any significance to Directive 8020‘s remixed title.
Survival Horror
Psychological
Horror
Adventure
- Released
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October 2, 2025
- ESRB
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Rating Pending