John Carpenter's Toxic Commando release date, trailers, and latest news

What is the Toxic Commando release date? We can get firmly behind anything with John Carpenter's name on, so imagine our delight when John Carpenter's Toxic Commando, a videogame inspired by '80s horror and action and created by the horror legend himself, was revealed during Summer Game Fest 2023.

Part FPS game, part zombie game, part nostalgic horror trip, John Carpenter's Toxic Commando (herein referred to as just Toxic Commando) is set in the "near future", while being inspired by the mix of gore, comedy, and action of classic 1980s horror. Here's what we know about John Carpenter's Toxic Commando right now.

After months of waiting, the Toxic Commando release date was finally revealed to be Thursday, March 12, 2026, during The Game Awards 2025. The shooter will be released on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series consoles.

Saber has its work cut out for it at the moment. Alongside Toxic Commando, they're currently developing Hellraiser: Revival, Jurassic World Survival, and Turok Origins. Toxic Commando is likely to be the first of these to launch, though, as the only one with a release date so far.

Toxic Commando trailers

The release date trailer, revealed on Thursday, December 12, 2025, during The Game Awards, doesn't particularly improve upon the gameplay trailer below, giving us more glimpses of some of the weapons and vehicles at our disposal. Some of the highlights include explosive projectiles, powerful shotguns, and the flamethrower and electrical AoE weapon shown previously.

If anything, the release date trailer demonstrates more of the game's personality, as new dialogue, including the line "Let's go commando!", shows off the cheesy action-movie-style humor and voice lines we can expect from the story's four main characters.

Two years after the previous Toxic Commando trailer, when we had all but lost hope on the game coming to fruition, the above gameplay trailer dropped during Gamescom 2025.

In this one-minute gameplay trailer, we get a glimpse of the chaos behind Toxic Commando, something that was always guaranteed from the game's over-the-top, '80s action inspiration. Weapons are bold and fantastical, and the colors, soundtrack, and setting all take us right back. There's carnage as hordes of undead monsters storm various map locations, and it looks as though there's one hell of an experience awaiting us.

The first Toxic Commando trailer, the reveal trailer from way back in June 2023, tells us a surprising amount about what to expect when the Toxic Commando release date finally arrives.

First off, we're introduced to the Toxic Commandos themselves, four characters sitting in a military vehicle. At first, the team looks sombre and serious, with the first few seconds perhaps attempting to misdirect the viewer about the professionalism of this team of mercenaries. A male in the backseat says, "We gotta be ready," as You Give Love a Bad Name plays on the radio, an obvious hint towards the game's '80s inspiration. Panning to the driver, another male, the dynamic of the team starts to play out, as he says, "No one half-asses it this time… Ruby," before Ruby, a female in the back, groans.

Finally, the second female, sat in the front passenger seat, reveals her position as the leader of the group, stating "On my mark" before cocking her shotgun. The vehicle hits a zombie, and the driver wipes blood from the windscreen with a determined look on his face. Strong, smart, serious - this group is bound to get the job done. The woman in the front counts down from five, the vehicle approaches a red-eyed zombie and the screen cuts to black. The team bursts into the chorus of the Bon Jovi hit in karaoke-style, out-of-time singing. OK, maybe they're not as slick as they looked.

Now clear that there's some fun to be had with The Commandos, we're introduced to some gameplay, witnessing weapons ranging from turrets and assault rifles, to melee gear, as a player is surrounded by zombies in muted reds and purples. Chaos ensues, and various vehicles, guns, and monsters are all shown off as the song plays on - though we're sure there are plenty of surprises still in store as well.

The Gameplay Overview Trailer may well be our last look at Toxic Commando before its imminent release. In it, we see how things will go down once you and your squad enter the fray. Vehicles look to be an important part of staying alive, with each having different benefits to you and yours - the ambulance, for instance, has an AoE healing effect, and the truck with the huge battering ram is… well, it's good for slamming huge hordes of zombies.

Speaking of huge hordes, the scale on show here is staggering, with hundreds of zombies on screen and baying for your blood at once. With a deep weapon and class system, it looks like it's down to you how you want to deal with your imminent disembowelment. From what we've seen, a big gun is usually the best option.

Toxic Commando comic book

If you want to get prepared for your time as a Toxic Commando, a prequel to the videogame has arrived in the form of a comic book series. There were three issues of the comic book, with the series running between March and May 2024.

With that, you're up to date on everything to do with the Toxic Commando release date so far, and we'll keep adding to this page as more information is revealed. Until then, take a look at some of the other upcoming games that should be on your radar. And while we're on the topic of a horror legend, perhaps check out some of the best horror games available right now.