'When you look at horror franchises or movies or games, the sci-fi space is huge' Directive 8020 executive producer says the simple reason for the
game's space setting was because it's 'just fun'

Date:
Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:20:15 +0000

Description:
According to Directive 8020 executive producer, Dan McDonald, Supermassive always knew that it would make a Dark Pictures game set in space.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Directive 8020 executive producer Dan McDonald says Supermassive Games also knew its next game would
be set in space McDonald says the reason for the game's setting is because it's "fun" He adds that the anthology series allows the team to "do something different from the other big franchises" According to Directive 8020
executive producer, Dan McDonald, Supermassive always knew that it would make a Dark Pictures game set in space.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming ahead of the game's launch on May 12, McDonald revealed that the "quick, easy answer" for Directive 8020 's space setting was simply because it's "fun", and that the team always knew what the fifth game in the Dark Pictures anthology would be. "From the moment we started the series, we knew we were going to space, and we initially started off with eight ideas, which turned into the first five games, and, you know, we've got more in progress," McDonald said. "Game five was always going to go into space. We always knew we were going to go there." Article continues
below You may like Why space was the perfect setting for the long-awaited new horror game, Directive 8020 I played an hour of Supermassive Games' highly anticipated Directive 8020 and fans of Alien: Isolation are going to adore this Directive 8020 executive producer says the Turning Points system was added for players who 'want to keep everyone alive' but also for 'a big percentage of our hardcore fans' that will replay the game to get all endings

Every Dark Pictures title is different, and as McDonald goes on to explain, this allows Supermassive to explore other horror concepts, whether it be the witch trials, a ghost ship, a group of friends stranded on a mountain with cannibalistic monsters, or, in Directive 8020 's case, a sci-fi story featuring a terrifying creature that can mimic anyone.

"We do something different from the other big franchises. You know, we love Silent Hill , we love Resident Evil and that kind of thing. And their games are different every time, but they sit on Earth, it's similar locations and stuff. We get to change it up every time," McDonald said.

"When you look at horror franchises or movies or games, the sci-fi space is huge. Obviously, there are games like Alien Isolation and Dead Space . And we've all been talking about the Alien: Earth TV series, and there's just so many different places we can go. And that's why I say it's fun. It's really fun and also challenging for the team."

With that being said, the developer explained that Directive 8020 's new direction, this meant the developers couldn't reuse assets from previous games, and they had to redesign most things. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

"There are no trees in space for example," he said. "There is one tree on
this ship, but there were no trees in space. There are no trees on the planet they go to. So there's a whole bunch of new skills that people working on the game have to express and learn.

"There are also new situations for us to do. If you think about the
spaceship, when the journey first starts, you've got this big ship, but it's basically a tin can, and the only thing outside of that tin can is death. Its a vacuum of space and it's isolating and there's a whole bunch of things you can play on and do differently. So yeah, that's why we've done it."

In the same interview, McDonald also revealed that Supermassive added the game's Turning Points system, a feature that allows players to rewind their decision mid-game, for fans who feel "disheartened" when they're unable to keep every character alive .

The fifth game in the Dark Pictures Anthology will be available next month
for PS5 , Xbox Series X and Series S, and PC. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too. The best gaming consoles All the best consoles of this generation

Read our full guide to the best gaming consoles 1. Best overall: PlayStation 5 Slim 2. Best budget: Xbox Series S 3. Best handheld: Nintendo Switch 2 4. Most powerful: PlayStation 5 Pro



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/gaming/when-you-look-at-horror-franchises-or-movies- or-games-the-sci-fi-space-is-huge-directive-8020-executive-producer-says-the-s imple-reason-for-the-games-space-setting-was-because-its-just-fun


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)