Descent into decay

End of Abyss Launches October 1 for Xbox Series X|S

Section 9 Interactive, founded by former Tarsier Studios developers, is bringing *End of Abyss* to Xbox Series X|S on October 1. You'll guide Cel, a combat technician, through a decaying underground facility where exploration and tension define the experience. The studio transformed an initial top-down shooter into something far more atmospheric and unique.

Oct 1, 2026 | Friend Caio | Games

A lone astronaut stands at the edge of a glowing blue abyss, framed by dark stone walls, with the title “END OF ABYSS” in bold white text.

Section 9 Interactive, founded by three former Tarsier Studios members, is releasing the sci-fi action adventure game End of Abyss on October 1 for Xbox Series X|S.

Platform	Release Date
Xbox Series X\|S	October 1

In End of Abyss, you play as Cel, a young combat technician who descends into a massive underground facility with her crew. You'll face threats, upgrade Cel's gear, and find tools to progress deeper into the structure.

Development Evolution

The game evolved significantly from its initial conception. What started as an action-based top-down shooter developed into a slower, more dynamic and atmospheric experience as the team became interested in exploration and tension-building. The developers realized they hadn't seen many top-down metroidvania games with action horror elements—an idea that became their driving force and shaped the final product.

Early versions of End of Abyss featured basic character movement, equipment, enemies with destructible elements, and small levels, but lacked a clear visual identity. Once the team committed to an atmospheric and eerie experience, they sketched concepts and developed updated prototypes to establish a consistent look.

Visual Style and Influences

The game's atmosphere and art draw from 1980s and 1990s films, games, comic books, and anime—media that had a rough quality and manually created effects, giving them a weathered appearance. Section 9 Interactive wanted to capture that feeling in the underground facility, creating a worn-down world that makes players feel uneasy. They balanced realism with slightly stylized scale and shapes for both environments and creatures.

The team's workflow began with gameplay functions they wanted to test, then designed creature types to emphasize those mechanics. Sketching concepts and producing rough animation mockups and enemy prototypes in Unreal Engine proved essential to developing the game's variety of enemies and bosses. The developers experimented with both familiar video game tropes and original creations, always aiming for characters that felt like they belonged in the world while remaining engaging to fight.

The world and its inhabitants have been decaying for a long time in the depths underground, with some areas nearly frozen in time.