The survival genre is more popular than ever and thousands of players are flocking to test their will to survive in an increasingly harsh environment. The genre has seen a lot of growth over the past few years as developers have taken bigger steps into uncharted waters and made a greater effort to bring their grand ambitions to life in the game world.
As players look to the future, there are plenty of them survival games just around the corner so players can get excited and wishlist on Steam. There are sequels that bring players back to familiar worlds, unique environments that want to test the boundaries of the genre even further, and seasoned developers branching out into new areas, all with their own unique take on what it means to survive.
Prologue: Go Wayback!
Everyone runs a different puzzle
- Release date: November 20, 2025
- Developer: PLAYERUNKNOWN Productions
- Platforms: PC
Prologue: Go Wayback! it comes from the developers PUBGbut it couldn't be anything but another battle royale. Players appear in a procedurally generated wilderness map where they need to explore and fight to survive against the brutal forces of nature. The goal is to reach the Weather Tower in the distance, but the journey will not be easy. Players will have to walk through the forest without traditional markers or designated paths to guide them forward.
The game's dedication to replayability is very evident. Marketed as a roguelike combined with a survival experience, it hopes to ensure that each playthrough is completely different from the last. Coming from a studio with a history of creating engaging and addictive gameplay loops, provided the developers' ambitions are met well, Prologue: Go Wayback! could become one of the most popular games in the survival genre and may just be the beginning of what's to come from PLAYERUNKNOWN Productions.
The tides of tomorrow
Connecting players on a much deeper level
Tides of Tomorrow is an interesting survival adventure that sends players to an alien planet covered in oceans. The world is on the verge of collapse. Plastics have become the biggest threat to life and players are the only ones who can find a cure and save civilization. There's a lot to choose from, and with unique asynchronous multiplayer features, the decisions of friends and other players will have an impact on the single player world.
Players must travel across bustling oceans in search of resources that could potentially save their lives and the lives of others, while fending off various threats that lurk around every corner. Enemies can be deadly, but allies can be extremely valuable, encouraging players to pay attention to every single dialogue to make their journey through the world as smooth as possible.
Cairn
Realistic mountain climbing adventure
Cairn is a climbing game that provides players with an authentic rock climbing experience that looks to be equally frustrating and satisfying. Every aspect of the climbing route is controlled by the player, from the individual staples they place to the actual rocks they hold on to, providing the opportunity to take several different routes up the mountain without having to manage their limited resources on the way up.
The journey is as much about mistakes as it is about triumphs. There will be many falls as players tackle overhanging slopes and dangerous sections of their climb. Besides being a tough test of survival, Cairn it looks beautiful no matter where the player is in the world, it captures the true beauty of nature in a stylized form that sets it apart from other games in the genre and gives it a unique warm feeling despite the dangers that await the player.
Subnautica 2
Back to underwater horror
Subnautica 2 marks the return of one of the most popular survival franchises in gaming. This sequel takes players to an all-new ocean world filled with strange biomes, hidden alien ruins, and creatures both fascinating and terrifying. What sets it apart from its predecessors is the addition of online co-op, allowing up to four players to explore the world together and uncover the mysteries that await beneath the waves.
Entering Early Access in 2026, the game will evolve over time with even more locations and life forms for players to discover. The focus remains on exploration over combat, and players will have to overcome their fear of the ocean and delve deeper into the unknown in order to progress. Adding more players will make every aspect of the game more cooperative, but those extra hands will be useless against the colossal beasts players will encounter along the way, giving the game its trademark horror that so many fans adored in the original.
Light No Fire
A map the size of our own planet
Light No Fire comes from the team at the back No Man's Sky. While the game may not allow players to explore the entire universe, that doesn't mean the map isn't absolutely gigantic. Gone is the sci-fi, and players are instead transported to a fantasy world full of mythical creatures and lush vistas across a planet that's about the size of Earth itself. However, this world will be far from empty, as players will find many settlements and structures during their adventures. Whether they're on foot or on a dragon's back, they'll have to adapt to each environment they encounter in order to push through it unscathed.
Unlike most survival games, the emphasis in Light No Fire it is strongly placed on exploring and appreciating the world in all its beauty. Players will witness first-hand how entire ecosystems ebb and flow with the seasons, and watch weather affect the terrain over extended periods of time. Multiplayer is also central to the experience, as players can explore the mountains and plains together, potentially meeting a few fellow travelers in the wilderness, giving the game the same social feel it creates. No Man's Sky so loved and appreciated.
