Check out Aphelion – our newly announced game!

We’re thrilled to present Aphelion, revealed at the Xbox Games Showcase!

Set in a near-future where Earth faces collapse, Aphelion is an emotional journey to the edge of our Solar System to survey a planet that may be humanity’s last hope. Our latest tale follows two European Space Agency astronauts: Ariane Montclair and Thomas Cross. Following their crash landing on the uncharted planet Persephone, they must brave harsh landscapes, master survival tools, gather crucial information, and navigate reality-bending phenomena in a desperate mission to reunite.  

Aphelion launches in 2026 on Steam, Xbox Series X|S and Game Pass, and PlayStation 5 – watch the reveal trailer here: 

Aphelion blends our signature emotional storytelling with immersive exploration and traversal, mystery, and tense stealth gameplay. What begins as a totally compromised mission becomes an adventure into the unknown. As you explore the frozen world of Persephone, you’ll gather information on the planet’s strange conditions and what could’ve caused the crash of Ariane and Thomas’s ship, the Hope 01. 

In Collaboration with the European Space Agency 

We’re honored to announce that Aphelion is developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA)! Ariane and Thomas are both ESA astronauts, part of the fictional Hope 01 mission to survey a new potential home for humanity. We’re grounding our depiction of space exploration in real scientific knowledge and humanistic values. This very cool collaboration weaves authentic elements of space science into the emotional core of the game.  

After all, this isn’t just a game about a planet. It’s a very human tale of how we behave when all hope is lost, and what keeps us going.  

Florent Guillaume, Aphelion’s Creative Director, says: “Aphelion is a game we’re very passionate about, something we’re really pushing ourselves creatively on. We’re excited to share more of DON’T NOD’s first human story in space, and to be able to do it in collaboration with the European Space Agency is incredibly exciting and special for us.” 

To read more about the game, check out our exclusive Xbox Wire blog post containing more information on the game’s emotional core and gameplay.