How John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando came to life, released March 12 – PlayStation.Blog

Hey everyone! We’re excited to finally share a gameplay overview for Toxic Commando and announce that the game will launch on March 12th. We’ve worked hard on this game, and we can’t wait for you to try it.

For those new to it, Toxic Commando is our pick in the co-op shooter genre, combining intense horde combat with vehicle-based gameplay in an open environment. We want to give you an inside look at how this project came to life and what made it successful.

From concept to chaos

It all started with a presentation from Saber Interactive CEO Matt Karch: World War Z meets Mudrunner. Imagine huge hordes of enemies swarming players who need to use a variety of vehicles to survive. We thought this was a cool concept that leveraged our strengths at Sabre, so we did some research and prototyping. What emerged is something we’re very proud of—a unique blend of vehicle-based gameplay in an open environment combined with action-packed combat against massive hordes of enemies.

Achieving balance: Wheels vs. Wheels boots

One question we get a lot is how we balance the driving and FPS aspects. The answer? We don’t want to force you to choose one playing style or another. Our game design encourages exploration, and it’s up to you how much you want to lean on vehicles to complete missions. There are obvious benefits to driving—mobility, protection, mounted weapons—but we don’t want you to feel locked behind the wheel.

Our goal is simple: make vehicles fun and rewarding for players who want to use them, then let you decide how much time you spend driving versus walking. Both approaches should feel feasible and, most importantly, fun to play.

A cooperative that puts strategy in your hands

Most missions in Toxic Commando are non-linear. You’ll have multiple sub-goals that can be completed in any order, meaning you and your squad can choose to stick together or split up to achieve goals in parallel. The choice is yours.

Each game also shakes things up with the appearance of different vehicles and class/loadout options, so you’ll need to communicate with your team and plan accordingly to create good synergy. We want to encourage real player coordination and strategic thinking, adding a new layer to the classic co-op shooter experience.

Building a world that feels real (and ridiculous)

When crafting the Toxic Commando lore and universe, we had a few guiding principles. First, we wanted a world that was recognizable but took place in the near future—advanced enough to have cool technology without feeling like a big leap from our own reality.

Second, we want our characters to be aware of the tropes they live by. They’re in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, facing exaggerated situations that are scary and—let’s be honest—a little ridiculous. We rely on dialogue and scenarios that create some very memorable interactions.

But here’s the thing: while we embrace comedy elements and want players to have fun, we’re not interested in making fun of the games and films that inspire us. We approach this in earnest because we truly love this.

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Our love letter to 80s action horror

Talking about influences, we take a lot of inspiration from 80s films and television. The path to John Carpenter was a natural one: which great directors or films fit the bill? John Carpenter’s Escape from New York is perhaps the most obvious reference, but you’ll also find the DNA of Big Trouble in Little China, The Thing, They Live, and Prince of Darkness woven throughout. John Carpenter’s involvement was more than just guidance, input, and direction on the story—he also composed the music for Toxic Commando. The team also looked at Dan O’Bannon’s Return of the Living Dead, Lamberto Bava’s Demons, Stuart Gordon’s Re-Animator, and even a bit of The A-Team.

What we love about the property is its big energy and bombastic tone. It’s not about copying a particular cut or scene—it’s about capturing that feeling. There’s a lack of self-awareness in many of the late 70s to early 90s action and horror films that we really appreciate. The characters don’t blink at the camera; they were out of control and rolling with him. Our characters know what zombies are, but when faced with a horde, they don’t stop to break the fourth wall or spout platitudes—they fight to survive.

Cinema over the last fifty years has given us incredible examples of underdog hero groups—from Star Wars to the Goonies to Guardians of the Galaxy—alongside true horror masterpieces. We wanted to combine those ideas: what happens if you put a family of bickering action-adventure heroes into a horror film? That’s the essence of what we’re exploring with Toxic Commando.

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is scheduled to be released on March 12. We can’t wait for you to experience the new co-op zombie shooter with a vehicular twist. Thanks for reading, and see you out there!