4:LOOP — Everything We Know

One thing I came away noting in 4:LOOP’s trailer reveal is the amount of purple hues in the cinematic and action sequences. Another is, of course, the respawning mechanic, except this time, it’s integrated into the game’s story and gameplay. So, like Deathloop, where you’re trying to escape a time loop. 

It’s hard not to raise my eyebrow at the naming convention Bad Robot Games and PlayStation Publishing have decided to use for their new co-op shooter. “Loop” isn’t the only thing similar to a previous game, but the gameplay itself has a lot of generic multiplayer co-op Helldivers dues written all over it. 

If the past has taught us anything, it’s that caution is always paramount anytime a new game pops up in the scene. So, even as I go over everything we know about 4:LOOP, I’d still want you to remain cautious but to also keep an open mind.

What is 4:LOOP?

Straightforward much, 4:LOOP is an upcoming four-player, co-op shooter game. You have your buddies by your side, whether couch buddies or players you’ve met online. And are working toward a common goal, often with the hope of saving the world from utter and complete destruction. 

Because this is a premise we’ve all seen and heard before, 4:LOOP is going to have a lot of burden on its shoulders. Honestly, multiplayer shooters in general have a lot on their plate when it comes to putting out something we haven’t seen before. 

For 4:LOOP, Bad Robot Games has chosen to feature an alien invasion. And players will team up in crews of four players. It’s inevitable that you’ll die, not once, not twice, but a whole lot of times. And that’s just the goal if you’re going to learn from your mistakes and return stronger than before.

Story

The story will take place in an original sci-fi universe, where an alien invasion is in full swing. Your home’s only hope is to team up and fail to save the world. Failing is essentially dying in battle. But don’t worry. You’ll be brought back to life through advanced technology, complete with new armor, stronger abilities, and better equipped to fight. 

The aliens will have a Mothership, and taking it down will be your main goal. But it’ll take gradual steps like interfering with and destroying the aliens’ global mining operation. While dying is a key component of 4:LOOP, every loss will still prove beneficial for success. Every mission will still be a learning point, where your choices will help improve your equipment. Surviving missions will help you customize and build a unique kit in preparation for epic boss battles at the end of three Acts.

Once you beat all three Acts, you can then challenge the Mothership, alongside your crew. And ultimately, save your home planet. 

Gameplay

4:LOOP is a tactical, four-player, co-op shooter game. Players coming back to life after death is designed for endless replayability. Meanwhile, you’ll spend time refining your team’s strengths and weaknesses, with an infinite number of options for builds and customization. With every death, you’ll learn from your mistakes, and eventually save the world. 

According to Mike Booth, Chief Creative Officer at Bad Robot Productions, gameplay will have meta-progression. Things like collectibles and items you discover in the world, like Blink Berries, which will empower you for your next run. Blink Berries are acquired from a Blink Root plant, and they act like grenades or can teleport everything nearby elsewhere on the map. It can teleport the player, too, when caught in a tight spot. Sounds a lot like a roguelike/roguelite, but one without deck-building or vendors.

Development

Developer Bad Robot Games and publisher Sony PlayStation are working on 4:LOOP. Mike Booth of Bad Robot Games spoke about his experience working on Left 4 Dead and how it has influenced 4:LOOP. The studio’s goal seems to push the ideas of working together further in 4:LOOP. Where Left 4 Dead had linear paths, for instance, 4:LOOP intends to be more open-ended. And thus, encourage players to improvise more and assess risk versus reward. He adds that players can also carry fallen allies.

Trailer

In the trailer reveal launched during The Game Awards 2025 event, we see glimpses of 4:LOOP’s story and gameplay. Lots of purple hues in the visual effects, armor, and weapons. But also a dark, murky world, encroached by a devastating alien invasion. It seems like a game you and your friends can quickly dive right in. There’ll be a lot of experimentation to find your strongest builds, whether for your chosen player or as a team. 

I imagine you’ll also need to strategize your moves, coordinating your attacks and defenses. And for that, 4:LOOP suggests lots of improvisation. The odds may be stacked against you, but with persistence, you’ll thrive. There are still loose ends in the story and gameplay. Some parts still look and feel unpolished. I’m uncertain what exactly 4:LOOP intends to do differently, as even the idea behind coming back to life feels a lot like respawning. 

Anyway, testing strategies, learning from failures, and experimenting, over and over, can be engaging when done right. It can be the perfect test of aptitude for you and your friends. And cross-platform compatibility is available too.

Release Date, Platforms, & Editions

It’s still unclear when exactly 4:LOOP plans to launch. The announcement trailer only reveals that the game will release on PlayStation 5 and PC platforms. And you can add it to your wishlist as early as now. But what’s exciting is the upcoming Closed Playtests the devs are planning for the game, which you can sign up for by heading to the official website right here. If not the Playtests, you can also keep an eye out for new information on the official social handle. 

“This is only the beginning,” says Mike Booth, with more details to come in the next couple of months.