Supermassive Games continues its horror series and teases the next game, presumably titled "The Craven Man," in the credits of the newly released space horror game "Directive 8020."
Supermassive Games remains true to its tradition, hiding a teaser trailer for the next project in the series within the end credits of "Directive 8020." A recording that surfaced online shows footage reminiscent of classic analog horror films like The Ring. This suggests that, after their foray into sci-fi survival, the studio is hinting at a return to supernatural and paranormal phenomena.
Four years suggest a nested timeline.
The roughly one-minute clip plays on an old CRT television and focuses on depicting an undefined paranormal phenomenon rather than specific monster creatures. The name "The Craven Man" originates from community video uploads, but it exactly matches trademark registrations that Supermassive Games secured back in February 2022.
The end of the teaser is particularly interesting from both a technical and narrative perspective. Four years flash by in rapid succession: 1988, 2019, 2028, and 2029. This strongly suggests a fragmented narrative structure, where the characters' decisions across different eras could influence the fate of subsequent generations. The studio already used similar approaches in a rudimentary way in "Little Hope," but didn't push them to their full potential there.
Strategic shift away from the episodic format
With the release of the latest spin-off (our reviewOn May 12, 2026, the studio underwent a significant change of course. The originally planned division into fixed seasons and the rigid framework of exactly eight games were abandoned. The team is now focusing on standalone horror experiences, which is sorely needed.
The engine's maturity is showing weaknesses: Despite the switch to the modern Unreal Engine 5, the current space adventure is struggling with mixed player feedback on platforms like Steam. The gameplay innovations didn't work seamlessly, which is why "The Craven Man" needs to focus more on atmospheric density.
The teaser shows that Supermassive Games is sticking with the horror franchise despite the mixed reviews of the current installment. For players, the shift to paranormal analog horror represents a complete departure from the more action-oriented sci-fi approach. Crucial to its success will be whether the studio can meaningfully connect the narrative timelines and resolve the engine performance issues before release.
Tao Kim is awesome
Sci-fi again, as originally planned?
Nope, it looks like this will go in a different direction. More like an "exorcism," it seems.
I didn't see anything in the end credits 🤔
To do this, you have to find the hidden curator secrets.
Diana Junkier, I'm already looking forward to playing the next part with you again ❤️😍🥰😘
Then volume 3 isn't that far away after all 🫣
I have all the games for the PlayStation 4 Slim and PlayStation 5 Slim. The brand new ones and the old ones. I'm a collector.