Don’t Nod is developing a sci-fi action-adventure in collaboration with the European Space Agency, aiming for a multiplatform release. Astronaut Ariane finds herself stranded on a frozen planet, forced to face brutal landscapes and shifting realities to rescue her injured partner, Thomas. This action-packed adventure blends exploration with tense stealth mechanics. By 2060, Earth is uninhabitable. The discovery of Persephone, the ninth planet on the edge of the solar system, becomes humanity’s greatest hope. The ESA launches the Hope 01 mission with its two experienced astronauts, Ariane and Thomas. Their objective: to survey the planet and determine if mankind can thrive again. The journey starts in chaos when their ship crashes, scattering them across the planet and sending them on a desperate quest to reunite.

Aphelion is a cinematic, third-person action-adventure set on the uncharted, frozen world of Persephone. Stranded and isolated, survival depends on finding each other and completing the mission. Players traverse stunning alien landscapes, beware hidden threats, and uncover eerie secrets lurking beneath the ice. Explore the surreal beauty of Persephone, a vast frozen planet shaped by deadly weather and ever-shifting terrain. With only exploration gear—like pathfinders, oxygen tanks, and grappling hooks—players must cross hazardous environments and collect clues about a strange, reality-warping phenomenon threatening existence.

On the edge of the solar system, the helpless Hope 01 crew faces a merciless new world and echoes of a tangled past. Ariane Montclair and Thomas Cross share a deep, unresolved connection—strained by career and mission demands. Against overwhelming odds, their fractured bond becomes a lifeline as they reach for each other in the dark. And you’re not alone—something stirs beneath the ice. Aphelion features realistic space exploration, emotional drama on an alien world, cinematic action, gripping traversal, tool-based discovery, survival gameplay, and tense stealth sequences.

The Developers and ESA Speak Out

“Aphelion is a project we’re truly passionate about, and we’re pushing ourselves creatively in every way. We’re excited to reveal more of Don’t Nod’s first human story in space—and doing it alongside the European Space Agency is incredibly special for us,” wrote creative director Florent Guillaume in the press release. “For fifty years, ESA has blended rigorous space science with the limitless imagination of sci-fi to tackle the greatest challenges facing our planet. Aphelion captures that spirit—where research meets creative vision—to inspire the next generation and carry Europe’s space ambitions into the future,” added Nadia Luders, ESA’s partnership and brand licensing officer.

Aphelion launches in 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC. It will also be available on Xbox Game Pass.

Source: Gematsu