Sam Goes Roguelite, For Real
Five Sams walk into a multiverse—because of course they do. Devolver Digital used an Xbox showcase to reveal Serious Sam: Shatterverse, a run-based multiplayer FPS for up to five players that turns the series’ arena-blasting roots into co-op chaos. Each player is a different Sam from a different dimension, sprinting through worlds torn apart by longtime villain Mental and trying to stitch reality back together.
Classic Sam hallmarks survive the jump. Expect big, open spaces, crowds of sprinting enemies, and an “irresponsible arsenal” of old and new guns and gadgets—the kind of loud, over-the-top kit that made the early 2000s games cult favorites. Egypt is back in the mix too, a nod to the original’s sun-bleached battlegrounds.
How Runs Work (and Why It Could Fit)
Instead of a traditional campaign, Shatterverse sends squads through “procedurally shifted runs across hand-crafted arenas set in previously unexplored worlds.” That pitch blends authored combat spaces with roguelite unpredictability, then layers in “unstable anomalies, hidden portals and high-risk opportunities that can supercharge a run—or end it instantly.” Push deeper and you’ll earn stronger rewards and modifiers during a run, plus permanent character upgrades across sessions.
Serious Sam’s arena design might actually benefit from this structure. The series was built around movement, crowd control, and snap weapon swaps, which already reads like co-op catnip. The tone helps too. Sam has always embraced the absurd, so a multiverse full of variant Sams—each loudly solving problems with explosives—feels on brand rather than a gimmick.
There’s a recent cautionary tale here: another classic shooter’s “reimagining” tried a similar run-based spin last year and fell flat. Shatterverse has a better shot because of Sam’s wide-open combat style and its willingness to go big and silly. And yes, the voice you remember is present—original actor John J. Dick returns, even if some other voices in the trailer are new.
Guns, Gadgets, And Five Shades Of Sam
Co-op runs hinge on roles, so giving every player a different Sam should help shape team identity without turning the series into a class shooter. The marketing leans on variety—old favorites alongside new toys—and that “irresponsible arsenal” phrasing suggests Sam’s trademark excess isn’t getting trimmed for balance. If anything, the risk-reward hooks and on-the-fly modifiers sound designed to fuel bigger, weirder power spikes as runs escalate.
Enemy behavior matters as much as firepower in a Sam game. Huge numbers rushing headlong at players suit horde co-op, but the arenas—and those anomalies and portals—will need to create interesting choices: hold a chokepoint for a safer route, or gamble on a portal that could spike your damage or delete your run. If Behaviour nails that cadence, the format could sing.
New Studio, Old Spirit
Shatterverse isn’t coming from Croteam. Development is led by Behaviour Interactive, the studio behind the multiplayer hit Dead by Daylight. Producer Nic Duchesne framed the mission clearly: the goal “was to respect Serious Sam’s rich legacy while presenting it in a fresh, contemporary way unlike anything seen before in the series.” That’s a careful balance—keep the kick-music-and-blast rhythm, modernize the structure.
Croteam seems on board. Co-founder Davor Hunski called it “very exciting to see another talented team step in and create something bold, fresh and different within the universe we cherished for so long.” Devolver is publishing, and while there’s no firm date yet, the game is “expected to be out later this year.” It’s already up for wishlisting on Steam.
One last note for longtime fans wondering about vibes: the trailer’s mix of familiar one-liners, desert vistas, and ridiculous weaponry suggests Shatterverse isn’t running from its identity. It’s betting that identity works best as a fast, replayable co-op loop rather than a linear campaign.
If Behaviour can keep the gunfeel crunchy, the enemies plentiful, and the between-run upgrades punchy without drowning the fun in grind, Sam might finally land a modern online mode that sticks. That’s a lot of ifs—but for a series built on impossible odds and bigger explosions, this is the most promising swing it’s taken in years.
