See, I’m not always a fan of these survival games in recent years. The odd one will show up, it will do something different, and then it will release and probably pass me by. Hopefully, that won’t happen with House 16 Software’s debut game, ORMOD: Directive. A survival sandbox where you build, automate, fight, and survive; however, there seems to be a hint of Tarkov, Rust, or the scavenging bits of DayZ vibes. A high ambition project, House 16 Software notes ORMOD: Directive will be playable solo, co-op, or “on 24/7 MMO-style servers across PvP, PvE, Hardcore, or Creative modes.“

This is what the Australian developer said in the press release on Friday: “Indie developer House 16 Software officially unveils its debut title, ORMOD: Directive, a harsh open-world survival sandbox set in a world that never stops moving. Set to launch on Steam in early 2026, the game lets players scavenge, automate, build, and battle for control as the ORMOD threat spreads across a vast, machine-infested landscape.” That’s where I’m looking at ORMOD: Directive with cartoon eyes – the world isn’t just empty and void of interaction until someone snipes you from three miles away. Looking at you, Tarkov.

Speaking more directly of the experience than the broad overview of the whole announcement, it continues: “ORMOD: Directive introduces a post-apocalyptic sandbox where no two worlds are the same. Every playthrough generates a unique and fully customizable world, including the placement of towns, buildings, roads, and key landmarks. Players define their own survival strategy across a landscape built from the ground up for replayability, creativity, and challenge.

Blending classic survival gameplay with automation, base-building, and realistic combat simulation, the game offers a world that continues to evolve even when players are not online. Every decision affects survival, whether through diplomacy, stealth, or brute force, and every item in the world exists physically, stays where it is left, and can be picked up, stolen, or repurposed.

In ORMOD: Directive, players must rely on ingenuity to survive against machines, the elements, and other players, all within a deep and systems-driven world filled with mechanics to discover.“

I won’t go into the lengthy key features in detail, though, according to the press release, you can play just co-op with friends if playing online with randoms sounds as annoying as it is. Towns and worlds as a whole are, of course, procedurally generated, as you might guess, with that odd but intriguingly ambitious idea of physical and persistent object permanence in the world. There is plenty to be excited about looking at ORMOD: Directive.

I will, however, note that not every texture looks super, ultra sexy 4K, hyper-realistic with blackjack and hookers. The guns look a little basic and flat in places, the designs are just off-patented enough, the ground texture can look shaky, and so on. That said, the water, rocks in the distance, and buildings don’t look too bad. I think it is an intended style to stand out rather than anything else. As you might guess, I’m highly interested to see more from ORMOD: Directive early next year – it looks to be a mix of that realistic survival Tarkov thing with the crafting of Satisfactory.

The press release ends with “ORMOD: Directive is nearing the end of development and will launch on Steam in early 2026.” Of course, there are no specifics to give beyond that and no mention of other platforms or storefronts. I know I’ll be keeping an eye on ORMOD: Directive for these next few months.

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