At gamescom 2026, developer Wolf Haus revealed that its upcoming open-world co-op game Join Us will be available on PlayStation 5 at launch, alongside the previously announced PC and Xbox Series X|S versions, all arriving in March 2027. The announcement came with more than 11 minutes of exclusive gameplay footage shown during IGN‘s gamescom programming, offering the first deep look at the darkly satirical survival/action title where players start their very own doomsday cult.
The PS5 reveal also detailed how 4-player co-op will function in both the campaign and free roam, a key feature for a game built around recruiting and managing followers. To mark the occasion, IGN exclusively premiered a live-action trailer from Wolf Haus featuring four real-life former cult members—Jaga, Javier, Ariel, and Elena—who came together to play Join Us in co-op, bringing an unusual layer of authenticity to the game’s premise.
What Is Join Us? A Cult Simulator with a Satirical Edge
Join Us is an open-world co-op game where players establish and grow their own doomsday cult. The core loop involves recruiting followers, managing their happiness, and expanding your influence—but the game warns that staying vigilant is essential. As the developers put it, “a cult leader without any followers is just a lonely weirdo.” Players will need to keep their recruits happy, or they will leave the cult, adding a management layer to the survival and action gameplay.
The game’s tone is deliberately dark and satirical, drawing on real-world cult dynamics. The live-action trailer underscores this by featuring individuals with genuine cult experience. According to Wolf Haus, the four former members have a “collective experience of over 50 years in their unique societies.” Their backgrounds span a range of groups: one cult prepared for aliens to arrive on Earth and take humanity back to the planet we came from; another was a peaceful cult focused on martial arts and self-defense training; and a third was a holistic rejuvenation cult. This real-world grounding gives Join Us a distinctive flavor, blending absurdist humor with unsettling authenticity.
Co-Op Gameplay and the 11-Minute Exclusive Footage
The 11-minute gameplay showcase, aired during IGN’s gamescom coverage, provided the most extensive look at Join Us to date. While specific mechanics were not fully detailed in the announcement, the footage highlighted the game’s open-world setting and the cooperative elements that will be central to the experience. The PS5 version’s reveal confirmed that 4-player co-op will be supported in both the campaign and free roam, allowing friends to build and manage their cult together.
The live-action trailer featuring the former cult members playing the game in co-op serves as a meta-commentary on the game’s themes, blurring the line between fiction and reality. It’s a bold marketing move that sets Join Us apart from typical survival games, emphasizing the social dynamics at the heart of cult life.
Platforms and Release Timing
Join Us is scheduled to launch in March 2027 on PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S. The PS5 version was the final piece of the platform puzzle, completing the game’s availability across current-generation consoles and PC. The simultaneous release across all three platforms suggests a unified launch strategy, though no specific date within March has been announced yet.
For players eager to see more, the 11-minute exclusive gameplay footage and the live-action trailer are available to watch via IGN’s gamescom coverage. The game’s unique premise—combining survival, action, and cult management with a satirical lens—positions it as one of the more intriguing titles on the 2027 horizon.
What This Means for the Genre
Join Us is carving out a niche by treating cult leadership as a cooperative gameplay mechanic rather than a solo power fantasy. The emphasis on keeping followers happy, coupled with the real-world cult member involvement, suggests Wolf Haus is aiming for a nuanced take on a subject often sensationalized in media. The co-op focus could appeal to players who enjoy base-building and management games but want a more socially driven experience.
With a March 2027 release window, there’s still time for Wolf Haus to expand on the details shown at gamescom. The combination of exclusive gameplay, a memorable live-action trailer, and a genuinely unusual premise makes Join Us a title worth watching as it approaches launch.
