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System Shock remake has been delayed to May 2023

The upcoming System Shock remake was originally set to launch in March 2023 – but will now miss this window.
system shock remake release date

The highly anticipated System Shock remake has been pushed from its initial March 2023 launch window, as developer Nightdive Studios refines its plans. Now, the game will release for PC on 30 May 2023, with PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S versions set to arrive at a later, unspecified date.

While the delay is not unexpected, it will likely come as a disappointment to fans who’ve waited years to see Nightdive’s intriguing rework. System Shock is a video game that redefined the sci-fi horror and cyberpunk genres when it launched in 1994, and it carries a deep legacy. Major franchises like BioShock and Deus Ex owe a lot to the game and its sequels, and there’s high hopes the upcoming remake will do justice to this history.

Nightdive appears well aware of the game’s importance, with its deep reverence for the game contributing to a reimagined, modern overhaul with fresh visuals, interfaces, and a thumping soundscape.

While the project initially started as a remaster, Nightdive’s vision later evolved, to the point where it became closer to an ambitious reboot.

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‘We felt that the amount of passion and resources that we are putting into this game elevated it beyond the expectations that someone would have for a remaster,’ Nightdive Studios CEO, Stephen Kick said of the game in 2016. ‘This is a full-fledged reboot of a classic game into something new.’

Shortly after this showcase announcement, ‘scope creep’ reportedly set in, as ideas for the project ran wild. The System Shock remake slipped from its original launch window of 2018, then into 2020. Later, it was delayed all the way into 2023, before being given its first firm release date.

At this stage, it looks highly likely System Shock will release in May 2023 as now planned – although we’ll have to stay tuned for updates as development progresses. For the latest information, keep an eye on the System Shock Kickstarter page, where Nightdive Studios blogs frequently about work on the game.

Leah J. Williams is a gaming and entertainment journalist who's spent years writing about the games industry, her love for The Sims 2 on Nintendo DS and every piece of weird history she knows. You can find her tweeting @legenette most days.