Rules of Engagement: The Grey State wants a DBD-style horrorverse in extraction

Why this pitch actually caught my eye

Extraction shooters are everywhere right now, but very few lean into genuine dread. Rules of Engagement: The Grey State is trying to change that with a Dead by Daylight-style “horrorverse” layered onto a PvPvE extraction loop. It’s an audacious combo: Lovecraftian unknowable terror plus recognizable horror icons (or at least legally distinct echoes of them), all wrapped in a free-to-play package from Grey State Studio-formerly Aurora Studio under Tencent. That mix could be electric or a tonal car crash. I’m cautiously into it.

Key Takeaways

• Extraction meets horrorverse: PvPvE runs in an unstable dimension filled with creatures inspired by famous films, novels, and creepypasta.
• Class-based kits at launch alpha: Pyro (flamethrowers), Phantom (stealth), Sledge (melee bruiser), plus a mystery fourth.
• Free-to-play on PC, targeting 2026: wishlist now, alpha incoming-but no public dates yet.
• Big potential, big risks: immersion vs meme cameos, F2P monetization balance, anti-cheat, and live-service support will decide its fate.

Breaking down the announcement

You play as a “Strider,” an elite operative infiltrating the Grey State-a military-classified, shifting dimension that sounds a lot like Jeff VanderMeer’s Shimmer if it had a thing for Cthulhu. The pitch is classic extraction: drop in, pick your route, juggle PvP and PvE threats, loot weird artifacts, then escape with your sanity (and gear) intact. The studio is promising “deep RPG mechanics” to upgrade your Strider, which immediately raises a critical extraction question: how far does vertical progression go? Hunt: Showdown stays scary because gear matters, but skill and map knowledge matter more. Tarkov can feel oppressive if you’re under-kitted. This game needs to keep progression enticing without making new players feel like snacks.

The DBD-style horrorverse hook

Grey State Studio calls it a “horrorverse,” populated by creatures inspired by iconic monsters from cinema, literature, and internet lore. Done right, that’s a brilliant way to create instantly readable threats. Think: a tall, silent forest stalker that forces you to avert your gaze, or a lab-born urban legend that triggers panic mechanics. Dead by Daylight built a juggernaut by making every encounter a mini history lesson in horror. But it works because Behaviour commits to vibe first, cameo second. If you go full meme—the Leonardo DiCaprio pointing gif in playable form—you shred tension. “Inspired by” gives them flexibility (and dodges licensing) but also invites off-brand knockoff energy. The line between homage and parody is thin, and the game’s atmosphere depends on staying on the right side.

Industry context: extraction’s danger zone

We’ve seen a lot of extraction experiments. Hunt: Showdown thrives because its sound design and monster ecology make every footstep a decision. Escape from Tarkov is the hardcore benchmark, for better and worse. Call of Duty’s DMZ proved the loop has mass appeal, even if its future is murky. On the flipside, The Cycle: Frontier had strong ideas but got kneecapped by cheating and F2P friction, and it ultimately shuttered. Bungie’s Marathon is still in the oven. If The Grey State lands in 2026, it’s entering a smarter, pickier market. Horror could be its differentiator—there’s a reason Hunt still scares seasoned players.

Developer pedigree matters here. As Aurora Studio, this team shipped Ring of Elysium, a slick, weather-driven BR that earned a loyal niche before support wound down. Translation: they can build cool systems, but long-term live service is the real test. With Tencent backing, resources shouldn’t be the issue; direction and anti-cheat will be.

The gamer’s checklist: what needs to work

• Atmosphere over all: Dynamic lighting, fog, and audio that makes you freeze at twig snaps. If I can sprint everywhere with a flamethrower and face-tank fear, the horror pitch collapses.
• AI that isn’t cannon fodder: Horror monsters should alter player behavior—line-of-sight puzzles, sanity drains, sound lures, territory control—so third-partying becomes a strategic gamble, not a default grief tactic.
• Class balance in PvPvE: Pyro and Sledge scream power fantasy; Phantom screams rat gameplay. If one kit trivializes PvE while dumpstering players, the meta ossifies. Strong counters and noisy strengths will help.
• Progression without P2W: Free-to-play in extraction is a minefield. Cosmetic monetization? Great. Stat-boosting charms or paid stash rows? Hard pass. Learn from The Cycle’s missteps.
• Server quality and anti-cheat: Nothing kills tension faster than desync and wallhacks. Day-one kernel-level anti-cheat, robust reporting, and visible ban waves are non-negotiable.

I’m also curious how extraction objectives intersect with horror events. Imagine a route that’s faster but risks spawning a “sleep experiment” anomaly if you fire unsuppressed shots, or artifacts that whisper misinformation into your VOIP. Lean into systems that mess with player assumptions—social and sensory disruption is horror’s secret weapon in competitive spaces.

About those classes…

Pyro, Phantom, and Sledge paint a clear triangle: area denial and vision control (flames), information and disengage (stealth), and breach/CC (melee power). In extraction, melee only works if stagger, armor break, or traversal perks make it more than a meme. Flamethrowers are terrifying, but they’re also a server performance and visibility nightmare—fire should attract monsters and players alike, not just erase them. The unrevealed fourth class? If I’m betting, it’s support or control—healing, sanity stabilization, or gadget traps. Just please, no turret spam.

Looking ahead to the alpha and 2026 launch

The upcoming alpha will be the truth serum. I’ll be watching time-to-kill, extraction friction (camping vs counterplay), monster AI leashes, and whether the “inspired by” enemies feel scary or Saturday-night cameo reels. A two-year runway gives them time to iterate, but it also risks losing heat if comms go dark. Regular, playable tests with honest patch notes would go a long way to prove this isn’t just a slick trailer idea.

TL;DR

Rules of Engagement: The Grey State wants to make extraction scary again with a DBD-style horrorverse and class-driven kits. If the team nails atmosphere, AI, balance, and fair F2P, this could be the freshest spin on the genre since Hunt. If it leans into cameos over cohesion, it’ll be spooky for the wrong reasons.