Directive 8020 no longer needs everyone on the same couch. Supermassive Games has released a free update that adds online multiplayer to its sci-fi horror game, letting up to five players work through the story together from different places. It went live on Monday, October 19, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
How online play works
The online mode builds on Directive 8020’s Movie Night couch co-op. Each player controls a crew member aboard the Cassiopeia and takes their turn on their own screen. Supermassive is offering two ways to play:
- Custom Mode: the classic couch co-op setup, brought online. You pick a character at the start and play whenever that character is on screen.
- Round Robin Mode: no assigned characters. Control passes to the next player after a set amount of time.
A new Choice Voting feature lets the group weigh in on tough decisions. On-screen prompts show who voted for which outcome, so you can follow the majority or break ranks. Groups can also mix and match locations however they like, from five people in five homes to two in one place and three in another.
There are a couple of limits. Online play is not cross-play, so everyone needs to be on the same platform, and each player has to own their own copy of the game.
New suits and Premonitions
The update adds more than multiplayer. Supermassive included a new wardrobe of retro silver space suits for the crew, and brought the classic Dark Pictures Premonitions to Directive 8020 for the first time. There are 13 of these new collectibles hidden through the game, each giving a glimpse of a possible future to help guide your choices.
Directive 8020 launched on May 12, and Supermassive thanked players for their patience when it announced the online update. The studio has had a rough year since, including layoffs of more than 70 staff after the game’s release.
If you have been waiting to play with friends who live elsewhere, the update is free on Steam and the console stores now. Gather a crew, pick a mode and see how many of you make it off the Cassiopeia.
