Darksiders 4 Rides Back Into the Apocalypse — And No One Saw It Coming
📷 Image source: s.yimg.com
The Horsemen Return
A franchise left for dead gets a surprise resurrection
The Darksiders series has always been the underdog of apocalyptic action games — a gritty, over-the-top blend of Zelda-like puzzles and God of War’s brutality, starring the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. But after 2020’s Darksiders Genesis, a prequel spin-off, the franchise seemed to gallop quietly into the sunset. Fans assumed THQ Nordic had moved on.
Then, out of nowhere, a teaser dropped: Darksiders 4 is coming in 2025. No leaks, no rumors, just a sudden announcement that hit like War’s colossal sword. Developer Gunfire Games (fresh off the success of Remnant 2) is back at the helm, and the internet is equal parts thrilled and stunned.
Why This Matters
A cult favorite gets another shot in a brutal industry
Let’s be real — the games industry isn’t kind to mid-tier franchises. Darksiders never hit Call of Duty numbers, but it carved out a loyal fanbase with its unique mix of mythology, RPG mechanics, and chaotic combat. The first game sold decently, but Darksiders 2’s commercial stumble and the bankruptcy of original publisher THQ nearly killed the series.
THQ Nordic’s 2018 acquisition of the IP revived it briefly, but Darksiders 3 (2018) and Genesis (2020) felt like cautious experiments. Now, with Gunfire Games riding high on Remnant 2’s success, there’s real momentum. This isn’t just another sequel — it’s a bet that a niche but passionate audience still wants big, weird, single-player adventures.
The Big Questions
Who’s the protagonist? And what’s left of the apocalypse?
The teaser didn’t reveal much — just a cryptic symbol (likely the sigil of Strife, the last Horseman without a solo game) and a 2025 release window. But the implications are huge. The first three games starred War, Death, and Fury, leaving only Strife unaccounted for. Genesis gave him a voice (voiced by Chris Jai Alex), but a full game could finally complete the quartet.
Then there’s the timeline. Darksiders’ lore is a tangled web of betrayals, resurrections, and cosmic bureaucracy. The last mainline game ended with humanity extinct and the Horsemen scattered. Where do you go from there? Gunfire’s challenge is to make this feel like a fresh start without abandoning 13 years of convoluted mythology.
The Industry Context
A surprise win for single-player gamers
2025 is already stacked — GTA 6, Monster Hunter Wilds, and the next Xbox hardware loom large. For Darksiders 4 to carve out space, it’ll need to leverage what made the series special: no live-service grind, no battle passes, just a meaty, solo campaign with satisfying progression.
That’s a risky proposition in 2024. But after Elden Ring and Baldur’s Gate 3 proved there’s still hunger for premium single-player experiences, THQ Nordic might be betting on the right horse. Or Horseman, rather.
#Darksiders4 #GamingNews #GunfireGames #SinglePlayer #ActionGames
