It’s an exciting time for fans of co-op shooters. Helldivers 2 continues its impressive run with an evolving galactic war, while the highly anticipated Space Marine 2 is set for continued support in its second year. Even Call of Duty Zombies is in a strong position, with Black Ops 7 poised to carry that torch forward. Amidst all this, an unexpected title has made a mysterious appearance on the US age ratings board: Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2. This sequel to the 2021 co-op survival game was only briefly rumored last year and remains officially unannounced, yet its sudden rating suggests a launch might be much closer than we think.
The iconic Alien franchise has spawned a diverse range of games over the years, varying wildly in both quality and genre. From the groundbreaking and terrifying Alien: Isolation, a masterclass in horror games, to the widely criticized Aliens: Colonial Marines, you truly never know what to expect. The 2021 title, Aliens: Fireteam Elite, was generally considered a solid, class-based survival shooter, earning a respectable 82% positive user score on Steam. While enjoyable, it wasn’t necessarily a genre-defining experience for everyone. However, in today’s flourishing landscape of excellent co-op games, there’s a real opportunity for a sequel to build upon those foundations and deliver something truly memorable and highly regarded.
Despite the lack of an official announcement for Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, a leaked presentation surfaced on Reddit last year, allegedly revealing the sequel was in development under the codename ‘Project Macondo’ at Cold Iron Studios, the original game’s developer. Following this, Cold Iron Studios did issue a statement in September 2023, confirming they were working on a new game that ‘builds on the success of Aliens: Fireteam Elite.’ However, they never explicitly confirmed it was a direct sequel, and since then, Cold Iron has remained silent on the project.
That silence was abruptly broken when Gematsu spotted a listing for Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 suddenly appearing on the ESRB website. For those unfamiliar, the ESRB is the official entertainment software ratings board for the US, Canada, and Mexico. While the listing doesn’t specify a developer, it clearly names Daybreak Game Company as the publisher. This aligns with a 2023 statement from Daybreak’s parent company, which indicated they would publish Cold Iron’s ‘exciting new multiplayer action shooter based on a major global IP license across PC and consoles for release in 2025.’ While these details don’t provide absolute certainty that Cold Iron is developing Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, the connections are strongly suggestive.
The ESRB has assigned the game a ‘Mature’ (M) rating, citing ‘blood and gore, strong language, and violence’ as the reasons.
Beyond the anonymous Reddit leak last year, there’s been no other public information about Fireteam Elite 2. Its sudden appearance on a ratings board is quite a surprise. Given it’s already in a state to be rated, and Daybreak’s parent company previously mentioned a 2025 release, there’s a distinct possibility that the game could be launching in a matter of weeks. If this is the case, it would mean an incredibly rapid turnaround from an official announcement to release. Could we be looking at a surprise ‘shadow drop’? Who doesn’t love a good shadow drop?
Daybreak Game Company, however, declined to comment on the rating of Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2. While we eagerly await more news on Fireteam Elite 2, be sure to explore our lists of the best space games for other great co-op experiences you can enjoy with friends. And if you’re planning a PC upgrade soon, our best graphics card guide offers expert advice to help you choose. Did you play the original Fireteam Elite? Let us know what you thought of it!