Kwalee and Malformation Games have officially locked in a release date for Ground Zero, their retro-inspired survival horror title, with the game set to launch April 16, 2026 on PC via Steam.
Set in a devastated South Korea, Ground Zero drops players into the remains of Busan following a catastrophic meteor impact that has reduced the country to ruins. Two months after the event, as the air begins to clear and conditions stabilize, an elite Korean operative and her Canadian partner are sent in to investigate. What they find is far from a standard recovery mission.
The city itself serves as the backdrop for a more traditional survival horror experience, leaning into fixed camera angles, pre-rendered backgrounds, and deliberate pacing that calls back to the genre’s earlier roots. Exploration plays a major role, with players navigating everything from shoreline districts and temples to dense urban streets, all while uncovering what really struck the city and why the aftermath has twisted surviving life into something far more dangerous.
Game Features:
- Fight terrifying monsters that lurk in the dark corners of Busan, mutated by the fallout of the impact.
- Uncover the truth of what really hit Busan that day. What are these strange growths unravelling from the meteor impact, and why has it corrupted what little life remains in the aftermath?
- Explore a beautiful city in ruins, from shoreline towns and temples to the urban center.
- Defend yourself with an array of abilities; shoot, stab, kick and counter as an expert soldier trained in firearms and martial combat.
- Perfect your fighting skills and get rewarded. Cleaner kills means more Genome Points, which can be traded for powerful gear upgrades.
- Take on huge, terrifying bosses. Seo-Yeon has no idea just how bad the mutations can get in the heart of the city. Be prepared for anything.
- Relive the spirit of classic Survival Horror. Ground Zero captures the nostalgia of retro horror titles with fixed cameras and pre-rendered backgrounds, puzzles, custom difficulty and optional tank controls.
- Have fun with unlockables and extra content: alternate outfits, additional game modes and hidden endings await players curious enough to find them.
Between its setting, structure, and emphasis on “classic design sensibilities”, the final product for Ground Zero will hopefully prove to be a more focused retro horror release this Spring. You can watch the release date trailer below, and follow us for a comprehensive review of the game upon release.
