The next entry in Croteam's Serious Sam franchise could be subtitled Shatterverse. That's according to a newly surfaced regulatory rating that names the unannounced title, suggesting a new Serious Sam game announcement may be just around the corner.
Created by Croatian studio Croteam, the Serious Sam franchise has built its reputation on chaotic arena-style firefights against massive enemy hordes, all interconnected through a time-traveling sci-fi story starring the titular Sam "Serious" Stone. Over time, the series expanded through remasters, spin-offs, and even VR releases, while its modern mainline entries have leaned heavily on timeline retcons spanning multiple prequels. The most recent mainline addition to the franchise is the 2022 Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem, which Croteam co-developed with Timelock Studio.
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Serious Sam: Shatterverse Rated in South Korea
The South Korean Game Rating and Administration Committee (GRAC) recently published a rating for Serious Sam: Shatterverse, as first spotted by Gematsu. The title was assigned classification number GC-CC-NP-26-0123-010, with the rating decision dated January 23, 2026. The listing identifies PC as the only target platform. If Shatterverse is truly planned as a permanent PC exclusive, it is more likely to be a spin-off in the vein of Serious Sam: Tormental or Serious Sam: The Greek Encounter, as the mainline entries in the series have historically launched across multiple platforms. However, GRAC ratings have historically not been a comprehensive indicator of a given game's full platform lineup, and Croteam has often opted for staggered releases that prioritize PC over consoles.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
The GRAC listing assigns an 18+ rating to Serious Sam: Shatterverse, consistent with the mature classifications received by previous installments in the long-running franchise, known for its graphic violence. Serious Sam titles have long been published by Devolver Digital, and the new rating suggests Shatterverse may continue that relationship; the GRAC application was filed by Bada Games, a South Korean agency specializing in localization support with a multi-year track record of collaborating with Devolver. Bada Games' official website even lists Devolver among its biggest clients as of late February 2026.
Serious Sam: Shatterverse Announcement Possibly Coming in March 2026
With the Serious Sam franchise set to celebrate its 25th anniversary in March 2026, fans may not have to wait too long to find out what Shatterverse is. Even if it ends up being a spin-off, that would not preclude the possibility of a new mainline installment launching in 2026. After all, that is precisely what happened in 2022, when Serious Sam: Tormental and Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem were released just several months apart.
Serious Sam Mainline Games So Far
|
Game |
Original Release |
OpenCritic Avg. |
Positive Steam Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Serious Sam: The First Encounter |
Mar 21, 2001 |
N/A |
91.88% |
|
Serious Sam: The Second Encounter |
Feb 5, 2002 |
N/A |
91.46% |
|
Serious Sam 2 |
Oct 11, 2005 |
N/A |
87.58% |
|
Serious Sam 3: BFE |
Nov 22, 2011 |
N/A |
86.52% |
|
Serious Sam 4 |
Sep 24, 2020 |
68 |
81.76% |
|
Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem |
Jan 25, 2022 |
73 |
89.30% |
On the subject of Siberian Mayhem, the 2022 game spent a bit over eight months as a PC exclusive before making its way to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Serious Sam 4 followed a similar trajectory, debuting on PC and Stadia in September 2020 before launching on Sony and Microsoft's consoles in December of the following year. The last mainline game to have a day-and-date console release was Serious Sam 2 back in 2005. As such, it is not out of the question for Shatterverse to end up being a new mainline game to continue the trend of staggered releases. Looking at social media reactions to this leak, some vocal fans have expressed hope that whenever it arrives, the next Serious Sam game will take the story forward instead of delivering another prequel.