It feels like we have been waiting for this one forever, but the wait is finally almost over. At The Game Awards 2025, Saber Interactive and Focus Entertainment dropped a brand new trailer for John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, confirming that the game will officially launch on March 12, 2026. If you are a fan of 80s action movies, hair metal, and blowing up thousands of zombies with your friends, this is the news you have been waiting for.
The trailer was exactly what you would expect from a game with the legendary director’s name on it: chaotic, gory, and unapologetically fun. Set to the tune of Bon Jovi (because of course it is), the footage showed off the ragtag team of mercenaries fighting for their lives against the “Sludge God” and its army of undead abominations. It looks like the perfect spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead, but with a distinct Carpenter flair.
The Sludge God Cometh
The premise is classic B-movie gold. In the near future, an attempt to harness the power of the Earth’s core goes horribly wrong (don’t they always?), unleashing an ancient evil known as the Sludge God. This entity starts terraforming the planet, turning the soil into toxic slime and the people into flesh-eating monsters.
Enter the Toxic Commandos: a cheap team of mercenaries hired because the good ones were too expensive. You play as one of four classes, each with their own unique abilities and weapons. The goal? Send the Sludge God back to hell before it consumes the entire world. It is simple, it is stupid, and it sounds absolutely fantastic.
Vehicular Manslaughter
One of the coolest features shown in the new gameplay is the emphasis on vehicles. This isn’t just a run-and-gun shooter; you will be driving armored trucks, buses, and muscle cars through the apocalypse. And here is the kicker: the driving physics are powered by the same engine used in SnowRunner and MudRunner.
This means terrain matters. You won’t just be mowing down zombies; you will be battling the mud and sludge itself. Whether you are manning the turret on top of a Humvee or trying to winch your team’s bus out of a swamp while being swarmed by hundreds of enemies, the vehicle gameplay adds a layer of strategy that sets it apart from other horde shooters.
Release Date and Platforms
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando will be released on March 12, 2026. It will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store).
With Saber’s proprietary Swarm Engine (the same one that powered World War Z and Space Marine 2) handling the massive enemy counts, you can expect the screen to be absolutely filled with monsters. Gather your squad, queue up the synth-wave playlist, and get ready to save the world—or at least get paid trying.
Conclusion
John Carpenter is a master of horror, but he is also a master of fun. Toxic Commando looks like it captures that specific 80s energy perfectly. It is not trying to be a serious, brooding drama; it is a loud, colorful, cooperative blast. March 2026 can’t come soon enough.
FAQs
When is the release date?
The game launches on March 12, 2026.
What platforms is it on?
It will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Is John Carpenter actually involved?
Yes! The legendary director collaborated on the game’s story, tone, and music.
Is it single-player or co-op?
It is designed as a co-op shooter for up to 4 players, but you can play solo with AI bots filling out your squad.
What engine does it use?
It uses Saber Interactive’s Swarm Engine for the enemies and the physics engine from SnowRunner/MudRunner for the vehicles.