Tencent Unveils New PvE Shooter X Squad at Gamescom

Summary

At Gamescom on August 26, Tencent officially unveiled its latest PvE shooter, X Squad. Developed by Canadian studio Behaviour Interactive—known for Dead by Daylight—the game is co-produced by Tencent Games and STC Game Products in China, with Level Infinite handling overseas publishing. The project began in early 2022 and is scheduled to launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S in 2027, adopting a buy-to-play model with long-term seasonal updates. In gameplay, three players enter an alien open-world map to complete objectives, scavenge resources, and extract before the timer runs out. This "explore-collect-extract" loop has proven popular in recent co-op PvE and survival adventure titles, and X Squad aims to combine team-based shooting with survival pressure. For Tencent, this represents another step in its global publishing expansion and a deeper collaboration with a renowned Western studio, signaling a push into the buy-to-play shooter market. For players, Behaviour Interactive's experience with live-service and seasonal content—seen in Dead by Daylight—could ensure a robust post-launch roadmap. However, the game is still years away, and only a concept trailer has been shown, with actual gameplay details yet to be revealed. Overall, the announcement adds a promising title for shooter fans and reflects Tencent's ongoing strategy to diversify and elevate its product portfolio.