Godfall Developer Counterplay Video games It reportedly closed earlier this yr.So it would come as a little bit of a shock to see it abruptly reappear in Armatus, a full-fledged roguelite shooter coming to PC and consoles in 2026.
A trailer that features every thing from far-reaching cinematics to tense gameplay is now accessible as we speak on the November 2025 Xbox Companion Preview. There’s an unmistakable Godfall really feel to the movie, because the protagonist is seen tearing by means of post-apocalyptic Paris.
It is common for a sport developer to seemingly shut up store, solely to re-emerge a couple of months later with a completely new online game for PC, Nintendo Change 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Collection X. S. We spoke with Counterplay studio head and artistic director Ming Zhang to be taught extra about Armatus, its roguelike gameplay, and what it is like for the group to maintain engaged on it as phrase spreads. You may learn the total interview under.
videogameaddicted: In preparation, inform us about Armatus and this trailer we’re about to see. What do gamers see on this first trailer?
Zhang Ming: What you see on this trailer are snippets of gameplay, largely together with just a little little bit of cinematic footage of the sport. As you understand, this work has been in growth for years and is the subsequent work from Counterplay, which expresses our love of visceral fight. On this case, you will see some skills, some enemies, and a few cool strikes you’ll do.
Are you able to inform us just a little extra concerning the gameplay, story, and particularly the world by which it takes place?
Zhang: It is a third-person rogue-lite shooter, and what we have accomplished to construct the world is take the idea of city fantasy, the terrifying supernatural that underlies the actual world, and take it to the best degree. What occurs in a post-apocalyptic city fantasy world? Properly, the actual world begins to break down and the supernatural begins spilling out beneath, proper? Whenever you assume, “What metropolis is each basic and trendy, with the correct tone and timbre, and an environment that is not supernatural?”, it is Paris. We went from there and thought, “So what sort of characters would we deliver right here?” Not solely did we wish to create a supernatural character who’s highly effective and has entry to those heavenly skills that you should utilize, however we additionally needed to place the sound and ferocity of recent firearms within the palms of this supernatural being. So, I ready magic and firepower.
I watched βThe Vanishingβ which made Paris grow to be like this. Are you able to inform us about that incident and the way it turned out the way in which it did?
Zhang: I am beginning to fear concerning the phrase spoiler (lol), however you will must play the sport to seek out out, however it is a crucial occasion. That is how the sport begins.
That is completely honest. We talked about it just a little bit there, however why else would you come to Paris for this work relatively than anyplace else on this planet?
Zhang: Paris has nice visuals as a metropolis. Once more, when you concentrate on city fantasy, you’ll be able to’t keep away from lots of Gothic components. The structure of the town already evokes the feelings we have been searching for in individuals coming from the supernatural aspect of the world, so combining that actual world with the supernatural world was additionally a giant a part of the setting.
We might admire it in the event you may inform us extra concerning the varied instruments gamers have at their disposal. Will there be completely different weapons, weapon modifiers, or skills? What can we typically count on?
Zhang: This can be a run-based sport, and the principle technique of fight that gamers have is in fact weapons. Which means you have got a gun and might shoot it, however you even have melee weapons at your disposal, some motion equipment, and a few skills to select from. One of many issues that was actually vital to us was for gamers to do that factor we internally name “artistic expression by means of fight.” Not solely does the participant equipment embrace all of those nice instruments, nevertheless it additionally implies that each time you play a run, you’ll be able to customise the participant equipment that participates within the run. As vital as intuitive constancy of gameplay was, it was additionally vital to have a corresponding construct craft.
Armatus is described as a third-person roguelite shooter. Are there any specific video games that impressed you when creating the gameplay for Counterplay?
Zhang: Like all sport designers, we’ve got lots of reference materials. I believe you will must play and uncover all of the references, however I believe followers of this style might be very pleased with what we’ve got to supply.
Now, I am unsure you’ll be able to most likely give the identical reply concerning the varied films, books, video games, and reveals that impressed this story and world.
Zhang: Now, one of many issues we have at all times seemed for in Counterplay, and we have been doing this for the reason that starting, was an fascinating mix of genres. I am at all times searching for mixtures, making an attempt to not sound too geeky (lol). We’re at all times searching for issues like chocolate and peanut butter. So I believe lots of the enjoyable of it’s for the gamers to determine it out for themselves, however I believe you will see fairly a little bit of inspiration on our sleeves.
I am positive many individuals have heard the time period roguelite, however I really feel like in the event you’ve performed one, you’ve got performed all of them. What does Armatus do to tell apart itself from different rogue lights and shooters?
Zhang: I have a tendency to think about roguelite as a design framework. It is like saying, “As soon as you’ve got performed one RPG, you’ve got performed all of them.” A design framework is what scaffolds your sport, nevertheless it’s not the one factor in your sport. As we highlighted, our sport actually sings once you get into fight. Inventive expression by means of fight is a central pillar of what we needed to do. When you simply wish to begin taking part in this sport and slaughter demons utilizing skills, weapons, and melee assaults, that is the sport for you. Additionally, for individuals who like to decide on each improve strategically to realize the proper mixture and eradicate the room, that is the sport for you. That is how I give it some thought.
What’s your common operating time? Is that this one thing you’ll be able to play for a fast run earlier than mattress, or does it actually require you to sit down down and focus for hours?
Zhang: We’re nonetheless engaged on the sport, so I do not wish to put numbers on it at this level, however what I am saying is that, like many video games earlier than us, whether or not it is within the third-person motion style or the roguelite style, your decisions have a big impact on how a lot you are able to do.
I believe they’re teasing a boss struggle on the finish of the trailer. I do not know something particular right here, however are there any bosses that gamers can stay up for in Armatus? Are you able to inform us something about that?
Zhang: Sure, bosses are positively a part of the sport. thanks. Bosses are positively part of the sport and we name them higher demons. What they symbolize is that the Larger Demon is the anchor, given the demonic invasion that is taking place in post-apocalyptic Paris that we talked about. It is extra strong than others. They’re greater, scarier, extra nightmarish, and I believe gamers are going to have lots of enjoyable killing them and killing them.
So do you assume Armatus is a very tough sport, or does it go away issues within the participant’s palms by means of a wide range of choices?
Zhang: I believe it is as much as the gamers, however I believe we’ll have to attend and see.
What classes did the group take into creating Armatus, particularly from Godfall? It is very simple to check the 2.
Zhang: I believe that is the most important one. Popping out of Godfall was one of many issues we constantly obtained suggestions on, and it was virtually all constructive, however principally the large speaking level was that the sport’s start line felt virtually primitive. You then unlocked strikes within the ability tree and abruptly you have been doing this and doing that. Fight in that sport felt like a dialog with the developer. Once more, I am paraphrasing one or two evaluations right here, however this was the principle supply of suggestions we bought general. Followers actually resonated with the dynamic fight in Godfall and beloved this dialogue with the developer model of play. So after we moved on to the subsequent undertaking, we mentioned, “We did this for melee.” Ought to I attempt it with a shooter? ‘So we took that and our deal with construct craft comes from there.
I noticed lots of rumors earlier this yr that Counterplay was shutting down, however as I sit right here now, that is clearly not the case. So I might wish to know when you have any feedback you’d wish to share about that state of affairs, and particularly how the studio noticed such rumors swirling, understanding full properly that Counterplay’s subsequent sport was nonetheless in growth.
Zhang: I believe many of the studios have been too busy making video games (lol) to pay an excessive amount of consideration to rumors that did not apply to on a regular basis life. The one remark I can actually make on that is that the Armatus announcement and future releases are a celebration of Counterplay Video games, our friendship, and this group that has overcome hardships collectively. It means loads to us that gamers can see this sport. They are going to play it, and we predict individuals are going to have lots of enjoyable. So, my remark is, please play Armatus and let me know what you assume. (lol)
Getting again to the sport itself, I could not inform from the trailer alone. Is that this a totally single-player expertise, or will there be multiplayer components, leaderboards, and so forth.?
Zhang: This can be a single-player sport and the options, once more, are nonetheless in growth, so please wait and discover out.
Understood. I discover it tough to speak about this when the items are continually in movement.
Zhang: I believe it is more durable to not discuss this stuff, proper? That is type of the problem right here.
PC, PlayStation, and Xbox variations are in growth, and we now know {that a} Nintendo Change 2 model can be within the works. Had been there any challenges bringing Armatus to that console, and can the Change 2 model launch concurrently different platforms?
Zhang: Sure, they’re all scheduled to launch on the identical time. The problem with these is at all times optimization, however in the event you’ve seen Godfall, our PlayStation 5 launch title, you understand that if there’s one factor we do properly, it is optimizing the sport system.
Is there the rest you wish to inform gamers about Armatus or need them to know now that we lastly see what it is all about?
This sport is a love letter to motion fight in all its types. This can be a love letter to the city fantasy, gothic horror inspiration discovered in lots of video games and fiction, and what’s most vital to us right here at Counterplay is that our gamers see this letter we have written. So I can come right here and babble about programs and options all day lengthy. And all I do is promise the viewers, however what I promise is that in the event you play our sport, you will have a extremely nice expertise slaughtering all these demons.
Michael Cripe is a contract author for videogameaddicted. He’s greatest recognized for his work on websites akin to The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Comply with him on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).