Returnal finally confirmed for PC release

Following months of speculation, a PC port of PlayStation’s PS5 console exclusive Returnal has been confirmed.

The game is “coming soon,” according to a brief trailer shown during The Game Awards, putting to rest months of speculation that the game was heading to the platform.

Returnal was released for PS5 last April and is Finnish studio Housemarque’s largest and most ambitious project, following several decades focused on 2D arcade-style shooters such as Super Stardust HD and Resogun. Following the game’s release, Housemarque was acquired by Sony.

A video showing off the settings menu for a PC version of Returnal seemingly leaked online in September, before being removed due to a copyright claim from Sony Interactive Entertainment. Before that, VGC was provided footage appearing to show Returnal running on PC.

And last year, a PC port of Returnal was included in the huge ‘leak’ of unannounced games on Nvidia’s GeForce Now streaming service.

Many other games on the leaked list have since been released, including the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy remasters and the PC version of God of War. Another Sony game mentioned on the list, a PC version of Sackboy: A Big Adventure, also appeared in the Steam backend last year and was eventually released this October.

PlayStation boss Jim Ryan said during a business briefing in May that Sony expects half of its annual releases to be on PC and mobile by 2025.

Housemarque’s senior narrative designer recently told VGC that the studio plans to incorporate ideas and narrative systems originally planned for Returnal into its next original game.