Project Spectrum: Everything We Know

When a new game gets revealed at Gamescom, you can usually tell right away whether it's just another shooter or something that could actually shake up the scene. Project Spectrum landed in the second camp. The announcement came from Team Jade, the studio behind the recent Delta Force reboot, and right from the start, it stood out. This isn't your average tactical shooter. Instead, Project Spectrum blends squad-based action with psychological horror, creating something super amazing. So, what exactly is this mysterious project? Let's break down everything we know about Project Spectrum so far.

What is Project Spectrum?

Project Spectrum is an upcoming free-to-play tactical FPS from Team Jade. The game promises a mix of strategy, survival, and psychological horror, dropping players into strange battlegrounds known as Ember Zones. 

Story

The story of Project Spectrum is still under wraps, but we already know the basics. You play as an Operator, the leader of a squad sent into dangerous places called Ember Zones. These zones aren't normal locations. They've been twisted by something known as the Ember, a strange force that bends reality and spreads corruption wherever it goes.

Once inside, nothing feels safe. Streets break apart, buildings shift, and shadows don't act the way they should. In addition, you'll have to face monsters born from the Ember, rival squads who want you dead, and natural hazards that can take you out if you're not careful. Every trip into an Ember Zone is risky, and survival is never promised.

So what's the bigger picture? That's where the mystery kicks in. The game focuses on discovering what the Ember truly is, why it continues to spread, and how it alters anyone who comes too close to it. However, instead of a single, scripted campaign, the story is told through a series of missions and survival runs. 

Each time you dive into a zone, you bring back pieces of the puzzle, documents, clues, or just the experiences your squad survives. Because of this, the story feels less like a cutscene-driven tale and more like an ongoing mystery you slowly unravel. With every mission, you learn something new, and that keeps the danger of the Ember just as exciting as it is terrifying.

Gameplay

Gameplay is where Project Spectrum really stands out. Instead of just being another shooter, it mixes survival, tactics, and horror into something fresh. First, there’s squad building. You don’t just pick a single character and jump in. Instead, players will recruit and build a full squad of Agents, each with their own skills and roles. Some might excel at support, while others focus on firepower or survival tactics. Working together isn't optional; it's the only way to make it out alive in this FPS.

The game also features the asymmetric PvPvE system. That means players will be fighting both AI enemies and real players at the same time. On one side, you've got the twisted creatures created by the Ember. On the other hand, rival squads are also trying to survive. But the real twist comes with the Executioners, huge, terrifying monsters that other players can actually control. These encounters can flip a mission, keeping everyone on edge.

The environment itself plays a significant role as well. Ember Zones aren't just static maps; they're filled with hazards, resources, and ways to improvise. You can craft, set traps, and use the environment to your advantage. And then there's the sanity system. The longer your squad stays inside a zone, the more your minds start to crack. Hallucinations, paranoia, and distorted visuals make it difficult to trust what's real. Now, put it all together, and no two runs ever feel the same, sometimes tactical, sometimes survival horror, but always unpredictable.

Development

Project Spectrum is being made by Team Jade, the same studio that brought back Delta Force. They’re part of TiMi Studio Group, which Tencent owns, so this isn’t a small project. The game was kept secret for almost two years before it was finally revealed at Gamescom. Director Basil Wang explained that the goal wasn’t to make another basic military shooter. Instead, the team wanted to build a game where the battlefield itself feels like an enemy. That’s where the Ember Zones come in; they’re shifting places that test your ability to survive. 

On the tech side, the game is powered by Unreal Engine 5, and it shows. From what we’ve seen, the visuals are already impressive: fog-covered streets, glowing distortions in the air, and some of the creepiest monster designs in a shooter yet. It’s clear that the focus isn’t just on tactics; it’s on creating a world that feels scary, unpredictable, and alive in a way most shooters don’t even attempt.

Trailer

The first trailer shown at Gamescom set the mood perfectly. It started with a quiet debrief before cutting into gameplay footage inside an Ember Zone. We saw Agents moving carefully through eerie environments, firefights against both humans and monsters, and, most chillingly, a glimpse of a towering Executioner.

The trailer gave us a taste of the tone: slow, suspenseful, and unpredictable, with bursts of violent action. A few smaller teasers have also shown off crafting, sanity effects, and the environments. While we haven’t seen a full gameplay demo yet, what’s been shown paints a clear picture of a game that’s as much about atmosphere as it is about tactics.

Release Date, Platforms, and Editions

Right now, Project Spectrum doesn’t have an exact release date. Team Jade has made it clear the game is still deep in development, so the safest bet is sometime in 2026. They don’t want to rush it, which is probably a good thing considering how ambitious it looks.

For platforms, the only one officially confirmed is PC. Console versions haven’t been ruled out, but nothing’s been announced yet. If the game takes off, it’s pretty likely we’ll see it make the jump to PlayStation and Xbox later on. When it comes to editions, things are simple for now. Project Spectrum will be a free-to-play game, built around replayable missions, squad-building, and its multiplayer systems. For now, keep an eye out on our socials here for updates from Team Jade as development moves forward.