Kepler Interactive and Frictional Games have officially revealed ONTOS, a bold new sci-fi mystery thriller coming to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S next year. Known for acclaimed titles such as SOMA, Amnesia, and Penumbra, Frictional Games is setting high expectations as ONTOS positions itself as the spiritual successor to SOMA. With its reality-bending premise, immersive worldbuilding, and atmospheric tension, ONTOS aims to push the boundaries of storytelling in interactive entertainment.
Adding to the anticipation is the involvement of Golden Globe winner Stellan Skarsgård, bringing star power and emotional depth to the project. His inclusion highlights the studio’s ambition to deliver a narrative experience that blends cinematic performance with Frictional’s signature psychological storytelling.
Watch the trailer here :-
In ONTOS, players step into the shoes of Aditi Amani, a brilliant engineer driven to uncover the truth behind her estranged father’s disappearance. Her search brings her to Samsara, a former luxury moon hotel that has been transformed into a vast, eerie labyrinth. Samsara is constructed atop the remnants of a failed mining colony, resulting in an unsettling mix of opulence, decay, and forgotten history. Every section of Samsara is a piece of environmental storytelling, filled with cryptic remnants of its troubled past.
As players explore this atmospheric and interconnected world, ONTOS encourages them to move at their own pace. Each corridor, derelict suite, and abandoned research hall hides clues, memories, and deeply personal stories. Beneath the surface of Samsara lies a network of disturbing Experiments and enigmatic technologies that challenge both Aditi’s understanding of the world and the player’s sense of reality.
Players will scavenge for essential items, repair intricate machinery, uncover encrypted logs, and use their ingenuity to progress through layered narrative challenges. ONTOS stays true to Frictional’s design philosophy by avoiding singular solutions—every obstacle can be approached creatively, making each playthrough feel personal and unpredictable.
Moral ambiguity plays a key role in the game. Encounters with the unnerving Experiments are not just moments of fear, but tests of the player’s ethics and emotional resilience. Choices matter deeply, shaping how the story unfolds and how Aditi reckons with the consequences of her actions.
After more than a decade in development, Frictional Games is confident that ONTOS represents their most ambitious project yet. “This is easily our most ambitious project in terms of scope, production values, and thematic ambition,” said Thomas Grip, creative director and co-founder of Frictional Games. “Where SOMA explored the nature of consciousness, ONTOS aims to explore the very fabric of reality itself. It’s a risky goal, but we believe we’ve created something that invites players to engage with existential mysteries in a hands-on, deeply immersive way.”
ONTOS is powered by Frictional’s new HPL4 engine, built to support the game’s complex systems and atmospheric presentation. Its release is backed by Kepler Interactive, known for supporting distinctive, artist-driven titles such as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Sifu, Ultros, Pacific Drive, and Rematch. “ONTOS is bold, unsettling, and beautifully strange,” said Kepler CEO Alexis Garavaryan. “It reflects the kind of visionary work we love to champion—projects where artistic ambition meets powerful narrative design.”
Before its official reveal, ONTOS had already built significant intrigue thanks to an inventive ARG (Alternate Reality Game) launched in September 2025. A hidden clue inside SOMA’s 10th-anniversary update led dedicated fans through cryptic websites, coded messages, and mysterious social accounts. These early breadcrumbs teased the philosophical themes and surreal environments that define ONTOS, sparking community excitement long before the announcement.
With its ambitious vision, compelling cast, and immersive sci-fi world, ONTOS is shaping up to be one of next year’s most anticipated narrative-driven releases.
Players can wishlist ONTOS now on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S ahead of its release in 2026. For more information, visit: www.ontosgame.com