Games

Published on July 3rd, 2026 | by Adrian Gunning

The Alters: Last Variable Launches July 13th

The Alters: Last Variable is an expansion to The Alters, in which Jan Scientist awakens from cryosleep with a singular purpose: to solve the mystery of the Oasis. Launching July 13th on all platforms, this 20-hour expansion deepens the game’s personal survival mechanics and thought-provoking sci-fi narrative – qualities that earned the original a DICE Award for Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year and a BAFTA nomination for Best Narrative.

Years have passed since Jan Scientist refused to leave the planet. The world has transformed around him. And he realizes what he’s always feared: this work cannot be done alone. So he begins creating again – versions of himself shaped by different expertise. A Geologist. A Biologist. A Chemist. A Physicist. Together, they cover every possibility that needs to be studied.

Across years-long planetary cycles, Jan must Terraform barren sectors into habitable zones, extract and refine exotic substances, and unlock research tiers to push the boundaries of scientific understanding. Yet discovery comes at a cost – the planet responds with escalating threats: earthquakes, radiation surges, and the passage of time itself. Field Labs offer the given Alters refuge to conduct research during surface expeditions, but ageing without cryosleep’s protection remains inevitable.


As his team struggles under the weight of differing philosophies—each convinced their own vision of science is correct – Jan faces an impossible choice: will they fracture under the pressure, or conduct research that could define a legacy?

The Alters: Last Variable launches July 13, 2025, on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S:

  • The next story focuses on Jan Scientist(s): Jan Scientists, with their perfectly aligned minds, can offer the expertise needed to unravel the phenomenon of the Oasis.
  • Explore new regions and terraform them: Each transformation shifts the landscape, spawns new resources, and awakens the planet’s defensive mechanism – more frequent earthquakes, severe radiation waves, and other threats.
  • Expand underground and survive cycles: Build in different soil types, construct new components, and research new modules like the Cryosleep Chamber, which will buy you more time and let you witness the long-term effects of your scientific actions.
  • Develop new tech and set field labs: Each planetary cooldown offers a brief window to explore a dramatically changed surface, and Field Labs introduces new assignments for alters to continue their work while you cryosleep.


About the Author

Adrian lives in Melbourne Australia and has a huge passion for gaming, technology and pop culture. He recently finished his a Bachelor of Journalism and is currently focusing on games journalism. When not writing and playing video games, Adrian can be found in Comics 'R' Us debating the pros of the DC Universe and cons of the Marvel Universe.


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