Gaijin Network's 'Active Matter' Set for September 15 Release
The shift away from the free-to-play model that defined 'War Thunder' and 'Enlisted' marks a strategic departure for Gaijin Network, positioning 'Active Matter' as a premium-priced extraction shooter in a crowded genre.
Key Facts
- 'Active Matter' will be released on September 15, 2026, as announced by Gaijin Network on August 25, 2026.
- The game is a PvPvE extraction shooter developed by Matter Team, set in a collapsed parallel world with time and space distortions.
- Supported platforms are PC (official website, Microsoft Store, Steam), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with a simultaneous release.
- Unlike 'War Thunder' and 'Enlisted', 'Active Matter' will not be free-to-play and will require purchase on all platforms.
- The Steam version is expected to be priced at 4,499 yen or lower, matching the official website's Standard Edition.
Reporting from 2 sources: 4Gamer.net, Game Spark.
Gaijin Network, the publisher behind 'War Thunder' and 'Enlisted', announced on August 25, 2026, that its new PvPvE extraction shooter 'Active Matter' will launch on September 15. Developed by Matter Team, the game is set in a collapsed parallel world where time and space are distorted by a substance called Active Matter. Players, solo or in squads, enter quantum unstable zones to loot Active Matter while contending with rival players, mutated creatures, and anomalous phenomena inspired by the SCP Foundation. Maps include a closed Soviet island, a Central African quarantine zone, and a devastated North American metropolis. The game supports PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with a simultaneous release across platforms. Unlike Gaijin's previous free-to-play titles, 'Active Matter' requires purchase on all platforms. Players who bought the official website version, playable in advance, will receive the Steam version free, and progress carries over between the two. The Steam price is expected to match the official website's Standard Edition at 4,499 yen or lower, with edition details to be announced before launch. An update adding American maps and new weapons is scheduled a few days after the release date announcement.
- Three modes are available: PvPvE, PvE, and PvP, broadening the extraction shooter format beyond the core competitive loop.
- Weapons and equipment span eras from World War II to modern times, mixing period gear in the same zone.
- Map list in the announcement includes Soviet industrial areas and chemical research facilities, alongside the African quarantine zone and ruined American cities.
- Gaijin Network confirmed the September 15 date after previously announcing a 2026 window, narrowing the launch timeline.
- The Steam price is capped by Valve's policy, which the publisher said does not allow a higher price than other stores, so it is expected to match the official website's Standard Edition at 4,499 yen or lower.
- Players who bought the official website version, playable in advance, get the Steam version free and keep shared progress across both platforms after the simultaneous release.
- Regular updates are planned after launch, adding further anomalous phenomena and monsters beyond the initial content drop.
- The latest trailer shows the unsettling world view and intense battle scenes, per the announcement.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.