Directive 8020 was officially unveiled last month, heralding the start of The Dark Pictures Anthology’s second season. The title’s reveal, which took place at Gamescom 2024, comes nearly two years since the release of the last Dark Pictures entry, The Devil in Me, which ended season one. As evidenced by developer Supermassive Games’ Future Game Show presentation, Directive 8020 is set to take the series in a brand-new direction, with massive changes to gameplay and narrative systems. Fans of the Dark Pictures Anthology know that each title is connected in some way, as each features unique, and often important, references to the larger universe. Directive 8020 already appears to share a connection with nearly every Dark Pictures title that has come before it.
Directive 8020 takes The Dark Pictures Anthology to space, as it follows the crew of a colony ship, looking to establish a new home for humanity. The ship, the Cassiopeia, embarks to a planet called Tau Ceti f, hoping to complete their mission and save Earth’s inhabitants. However, they quickly discover that the planet is already inhabited by a highly-adaptive life form. In classic Supermassive fashion, players are tasked with navigating the crew members through a branching storyline, with each capable of living, dying, or being replaced by a hostile life form. While Directive 8020’s narrative and setting are seemingly far removed from previous titles, fans of the series have already begun connecting the dots between the title and season one of the Dark Pictures Anthology.
Directive 8020’s Setting is Referenced Throughout the Dark Pictures’ Season One
Directive 8020 transports players to a twisted version of the planet Tau Ceti f. While the title’s setting is filled with shapeshifting alien-like forms, Tau Ceti f is a real-life Super-Earth planet in the Cetus constellation of stars. Throughout The Dark Pictures Anthology’s first season, myriad references are made to space, space travel, and human settlements in space. However, some highly specific references are made to the setting of Tau Ceti f specifically, with one title even featuring a direct connection to its horrifying inhabitants.
Tau Ceti f's Appearances in The Dark Pictures
The references to Directive 8020 start in The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope, in which the collectible item Newspaper: Minister Arrested details a sabotaged test run in which the Apollo 10 was not given enough fuel to launch successfully. House of Ashes features a direct tie to the setting of Directive 8020, as its vampiric alien creatures are revealed to originate from a site within the Cetus Constellation. While the specific planet is never detailed, these creatures and the shapeshifters of Directive 8020 share a home constellation, making for an unusually direct connection between the otherwise disconnected games.
The Devil in Me Features Various Connections to the Plot of Directive 8020
The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me was the final entry in Season 1, and, as such, it features the most direct references to Directive 8020. Characters discuss launching a rocket from the central control room of the World’s Fair Hotel Replica. Items such as the Anxiety Book feature space-age meditations and mental projection ideologies. Next to another key item, players can observe the Future Vision: Countdown to Mars magazine, which features subtitles referencing space exploration, breakthrough stasis technology, and the potential hidden treasures of Europa.
By far the most direct connection between The Devil in Me and Directive 8020 can be found while Mark and Charlie climb to the abandoned lighthouse. Players can find the Crash Plaque on the shoreline, which honors those who died in the crash of the SS Cassiopeia in 1907. The SS Cassiopeia shares its name with the colony ship Cassiopeia, which crash lands on Tau Ceti f, setting the events of Directive 8020 into motion. The title will likely feature even more hidden connections to season one of The Dark Pictures Anthology, as well as a few for upcoming Season 2 titles. Fans of The Dark Pictures Anthology can discover these hidden connections and more when Directive 8020 is released in 2025.
OpenCritic Reviews
- Released
- 2026
- ESRB
- Rating Pending
- Developer(s)
- Supermassive Games
- Publisher(s)
- Supermassive Games
WHERE TO PLAY
Earth is dying and humanity is running out of time. 12 light years from home, Tau Ceti f offers a small sliver of hope. When the colony ship Cassiopeia crash lands on the planet, its crew soon realize they are far from being alone.
In space, death takes many forms.
NEXT-GEN CINEMATIC SURVIVAL HORROR
Experience immersive cinematic storytelling and edge-of-your-seat horror on a deep space mission to save humanity.
REAL-TIME ALIEN THREATS
Evade a deadly alien threat that roams the dark corridors of the ship, intent on eradicating human life. Overcome your enemies using improvised weapons, lightning reflexes, and stealth.
TRUST NO ONE
Encounter an alien lifeform that perfectly imitates its prey. Years of training and trust are lost among the crew when their enemy hides in plain sight. Who is human and who is not? Your choices are now more important than ever!
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Franchise
- The Dark Pictures
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
