A whisper that started in 2022 has resurfaced with new detail: a previously stalled Alien project — sometimes codenamed “Marathon” — is reportedly back in development, and sources claim Eidos Montreal is now attached. If the fresh batch of leaks is to be believed, the game would mix platforming and puzzle-led exploration with survival-horror tension and an adaptive enemy AI, and it may even bring back a character few expected to see again: Ripley 8.
Pieces of the puzzle
According to multiple outlets who have spoken to insiders, this is not a straight-up shooter or a pure stealth experiment. The working description doing the rounds is evocative: “Shadow of the Tomb Raider with xenomorphs.” That shorthand suggests third-person traversal and gadgets — grappling hooks and magnetic boots are specifically named in the docs — combined with tense hide-and-survive encounters against xenomorphs and an elite spec-ops unit.
Development reportedly began around 2020 and has gone through several names and teams. Sources say the project appeared dormant for a while, but documents from earlier in the year indicate the current studio on it is Eidos Montreal — the studio best known for Tomb Raider and recent Marvel licensed games. The ambitious-sounding blend of combat, platforming and puzzles is paired with an AI design that allegedly forces players to change tactics rather than letting one approach dominate.
Three characters are named in the leaked materials. Aubrey is the playable engineer-turned-protagonist equipped with mobility tools; Ryuzo sounds like a station-dwelling antagonist; and Ripley 8 appears on the roster. The reports note internal hopes that Sigourney Weaver could reprise the role, though that outreach has been described as “a first approach” and nothing is set in stone.
Money, timing and platform plans
Budget figures have reportedly climbed from an earlier ~$30 million estimate to somewhere under $75 million today, suggesting a more serious relaunch than the project once had. The game is said to be aimed at a 2028 release across "all major platforms," which gives the team years to iterate — and plenty of time for the plan to change. If you're thinking about what “all platforms” looks like by 2028, that includes current consoles and whatever next-gen hardware takes hold; the industry conversation around next-gen momentum and third-party support has been lively recently, especially with impending hardware cycles like Switch 2 (Nintendo Raises Switch 2 Forecast as Console Sales Soar).
Reportedly Eidos and Embracer declined to comment when approached. Treat these early figures and release windows as provisional; projects in the Embracer orbit have shifted before.
Why Ripley 8 would be a big deal
Ripley 8 — the cloned Ellen Ripley introduced in Alien: Resurrection — is not just fan service. Her presence would anchor the game in the Resurrection-era mythology, opening storytelling doors that a fresh protagonist alone might not. That said, whether she's a playable character, a cameo, or a narrative hinge remains unclear in the documents.
A return of Ripley 8, especially with an attempt to bring Weaver back, would also illustrate how legacy film IP and games are still being braided together. It’s a space where performance capture, voice work, and game scripts can extend cinematic characters in ways a movie might not. For players who liked the slow-burn dread of Alien: Isolation, a more vertical, traversal-forward entry could feel like a tonal left turn — exciting to some, off-putting to others.
What this might play like
Imagine a decaying orbital station that rewards environmental navigation: stringing together grapples to bypass vents, using magnetic boots to walk on hulls, then slipping into maintenance ducts when sensors blink red. Combat would likely be risky rather than heroic, and resources scarce; puzzles could range from jury-rigging power to cracking access codes. Leaked notes stress stealth and resource-management as pillars, with enemy AI that adapts — a feature that, if executed well, could keep encounters unpredictable.
For players still enjoying VR mods and immersive horror setups, the series’ future on immersive platforms remains an open possibility — VR ports and adaptations are increasingly common for horror titles, and Sony’s VR ecosystem continues to be a place where such experiments surface (Flat2VR Floods PS VR2: Hoverbike Live Now, Roboquest and Shadowgate Lead a Busy November).
How much of this should you believe?
This is a rumor-driven story built from source reporting; parts of it — names, budgets, studio assignments — have appeared in multiple outlets, but none of the details are officially confirmed. IP holders and developers routinely test ideas internally, shift teams, and reassign budgets. So a game can look destined one year, shelved the next, and revived later with a very different scope.
If you like to imagine this on your shelf in 2028, remember the usual caveats: early budgets creep, release targets slide, and the composition of the core team can still change. That said, the tale of an abandoned project revived with a mid-range triple-A budget and Eidos Montreal’s traversal pedigree is compelling — especially if Ripley 8 actually shows up.
If you’re thinking about hardware for the next few years, and favoured setups for big single-player horror experiences, a PlayStation entry remains likely among the target systems; the rumored plans call out “all major platforms” and that typically includes Sony’s ecosystem — which is why some readers might already be eyeing a PlayStation 5 Pro as a centerpiece for future AAA releases.
For now, watch for official word from Eidos, Embracer, or the Alien IP holders. Until then, the idea of a Tomb Raider–style traversal game drenched in xenomorph dread is a deliciously odd mash-up — one that could either refresh the franchise in games or join the long list of near-mythical projects that never quite make it to market.