Windows Central Insider
On May 7, 2026, IGN, in an exclusive world-first reveal, premiered a trailer for Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, an upcoming co-op horde shooter set within the Alien franchise.
This game aims to improve upon its predecessor with 4-player, more Xenomorphs to shoot, and new ways to kill them with your friends. It is scheduled to release during the summer of 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.
In this game, you play as the Colonial Marines, a combat unit dispatched to distant corners of the galaxy to defend humanity from the ravenous Xenomorphs.
Your missions will not be easy, as you and your team will frequently be assaulted by hordes of Xenomorphs of various sizes. To survive, you will need to coordinate with your team and master a variety of character classes and weapons to wipe out Xenomorphs before they kill you, eat you, or worse.
As for the gameplay improvements this sequel is planning to bring, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 will include new character classes to play as. The first of which is the new Specialist Class, which has the ability to mix and match the abilities of all classes, so players can create a jack-of-all-trades type Marine.
Also, unlike the first Aliens: Fireteam Elite, this game will feature 4-player co-op instead of 3, and will support cross-play between all platforms, so everyone can join the bug hunt.
You're going to need the new classes and larger party size because Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 will pit players against a large variety of new Xenomorph types, some of which can give the Alien Queen a run for her money.
In addition, you will also have to contend with rogue machines and androids built by the antagonist Weyland-Yutani corporation, looking to impede your mission.
Lastly, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 will launch with a Horde Mode where you and your friends can fight never-ending waves of Xenomorphs and earn valuable rewards depending on how many waves you clear.
Windows Central's Take
One of my former colleagues (now turned social media manager for horror game studio IllFonic), Miles Dompier, loved the original Aliens: Fireteam Elite.
He gave it 4 out of 5 stars for its addictive co-op shooter gunplay, surprisingly in-depth character and class customization, phenomenal orchestral soundtrack, and endless amounts of fan service and homages to the Alien movies and Prometheus.
However, it was mainly held back by its low budget, which hampered its visual presentation, and 3-player co-op in a market flooded with 4-player co-op shooters.
Judging from the Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 trailer, though, it seems the developers have already addressed those complaints. The visuals during the trailer's gameplay segment already look like a massive improvement, with more detailed lighting and character models, and 4-player co-op looks like a chaotic, fun time.
Personally, I never played the original Aliens: Fireteam Elite when it came out in 2021, as I was too busy obsessing over Monster Hunter Rise on Nintendo Switch before it came to PC.
However, I am willing to make up for it when the sequel comes out. I remember enjoying the movie Aliens more than Alien when I was a kid, so this action-packed take on the Aliens franchise sounds like it's up my nostalgic alley. Plus, 4-player co-op shooters are, 99.9% of the time, always a good time, especially with friends around.
So, stay tuned for more as we keep an eye out for the full release date and additional gameplay details for Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2.
🗨️Over to you
What do you think of Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2? Are you a fan of the previous game that's excited to see it finally get a sequel, or are you a newcomer who's interested in playing purely for its co-op gameplay?
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