Housemarque’s PS5 exclusive Returnal is releasing in March 2021, according to Best Buy

Housemarque’s PlayStation 5 exclusive Returnal could be set for release on March 19, 2021.

That’s according to Best Buy Canada’s product listing for the game, which publisher Sony previously said it expected to release in the first half of 2021.

It’s possible that Returnal‘s Best Buy listing could have been updated prior to an official release date announcement at The Game Awards tonight.

UPDATE: PlayStation has confirmed the game’s March 19, 2021 launch date and released a new gameplay trailer:

ORIGINAL STORY CONTINUES: Revealed during a PS5 showcase in June, the original IP is a third-person roguelike shooter. “Designed for extreme replayability”, it features a sci-fi setting and a planet which evolves each time the game’s protagonist Selene dies.

But just as the planet changes with every cycle, “so do the items at your disposal. Every loop offers new combinations, forcing you to push your boundaries and approach combat with a different strategy each time”.

In January Housemarque announced it had put all other projects on hold to focus on an unannounced new game, said to be the Finnish studio’s most significant undertaking to date.

A team of 80 people was developing the upcoming title, which had been in the works for almost three years, Housemarque CEO Ilari Kuittinen revealed.

“It is great that the whole company can come together to deliver this game, which will define the next evolution of Housemarque,” he said.

Further reading

Resogun studio Housemarque debuts PS5 original Returnal

Sci-fi title features 'evolving planet'