Polaris is a four-player co-op PvE shooter set in an original sci-fi universe coming to PC via Steam this year. Developed by Polaris Team, an offshoot of Variable State, which is the studio behind 2021’s Last Stop and 2016’s Virginia, the developer formally unveiled Polaris during today’s IGN Live showcase with a cinematic trailer. 

In the trailer, we get a glimpse of this sci-fi world, which takes place in a region of space overtaken by a ruthless force known simply as the Regime. In the game, players must reclaim their homeworlds and bring every enemy stronghold down. 

Check out the game’s first look in the Polaris reveal trailer below: 

Polaris Team says, “All in-game structures – installed by the Regime, but not yet inhabited by their indoctrinated citizens – can be crushed, blown apart, and otherwise annihilated over the course of every match, and the same is true of the natural environments and terrain upon which they’ve been constructed.” 

Players control superpowered freedom fighters who utilize guerrilla tactics to take back their territory while flying through dynamic open levels, destroying enemy infrastructure, and unearthing coveted mysteries that drive the Regime’s war of conquest. 

“Since I first played Bullfrog’s Syndicate Wars, I’ve always dreamed of working on a game that featured hi-tech squads of futuristic soldiers, causing mayhem and destruction in an original sci-fi setting,” Polaris Team creative director Jonathan Burroughs writes in a press release. “Sprinkle in a deep appreciation for the Halo series – particularly its blend of on-foot and in-vehicle co-op action – and you can begin to get a sense of what we hope to achieve with Polaris. 

“We’re only a small and scrappy team of 11 people, but have been plugging away at this project since early 2023. Aided by the tools and technologies of Unreal Engine 5, Polaris Team has built a tight 4-player PvE combat game with a dynamic, destructible environment set in our own unique sci-fi universe. With the release date arriving later this year, the team and I couldn’t be more excited to share Polaris with players worldwide!”

Here are some Polaris screenshots to check out: 

 

Polaris is due out on PC via Steam sometime this year. You can sign up for a beta playtest starting today. 

What do you think of Polaris’ reveal? Let us know in the comments below!