A new tactical shooter is preparing to enter the increasingly competitive extraction genre, and it is bringing a very different concept with it. Active Matter, an upcoming PvPvE shooter from developer Matter Team and publisher Gaijin Network, is set to combine realistic military combat with strange anomalies that bend the rules of space and time.
The game places players in the role of operatives trapped within unstable regions of reality known as quantum zones. These locations exist outside normal space and time, created by the mysterious substance known as active matter. Teams enter these zones to recover valuable materials and equipment, but surviving the raid and escaping with the loot is the real challenge.
Like other extraction shooters, each mission begins with players deploying into a dangerous environment with their chosen gear. The objective is to search the map, collect resources, defeat enemies, and reach an extraction point before things go wrong. If a player dies before escaping, they lose the equipment they brought into the raid.
What separates Active Matter from many other games in the genre is its blend of military realism and paranormal elements. In addition to hostile players, the world is filled with mutated creatures and unpredictable anomalies caused by the strange energy present in the zones. Gravity shifts, environmental distortions, and other strange phenomena can suddenly alter how battles unfold.
These PvPvE encounters mean players must constantly watch for threats from multiple directions. A firefight with another squad could quickly spiral into chaos if hostile creatures appear or an anomaly disrupts the battlefield.
The game also features a progression system built around collecting rare resources during raids. These materials can be used to upgrade equipment, expand a player’s base, and unlock new tools for future missions. Over time, players build a stronger arsenal that increases their chances of surviving deeper and more dangerous zones.
Active Matter’s setting draws inspiration from scientific research facilities, abandoned industrial complexes, and locations pulled from different timelines, giving each map a surreal atmosphere where familiar environments feel subtly wrong.
The extraction shooter genre has grown rapidly in recent years, but Active Matter’s mix of tactical gunplay and supernatural threats could help it stand out among competitors. By blending grounded combat with reality bending hazards, the game aims to create unpredictable raids where no two encounters play out the same way.
Active Matter is currently in development with a planned release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S, with further details expected as testing and development continue.
