EXODUS Gets April 7, 2027 Release Date With New Trailer Introducing Salt the Octopus Companion

Archetype Entertainment Finally Locks Down the Launch Date for Its Ambitious Sci-Fi RPG After Years of Development

The announcement also came with a new trailer focused on one of the game's most unusual companions: Salt, an Awakened octopus who works as a mercenary and bounty hunter while piloting a specialized combat mech.

The trailer gives players another look at EXODUS' third-person combat, companion system and science-fiction universe while providing additional clues about the characters who will accompany protagonist Jun Aslan.

For a game first revealed at The Game Awards in 2023, the newly confirmed date is a major milestone.

EXODUS Finally Has a Release Date

Archetype Entertainment has spent several years gradually introducing players to the world of EXODUS.

That wait now has an endpoint.

The developer officially confirmed April 7, 2027 as the global launch date during Gamescom Opening Night Live. The game will release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store.

The announcement is important because EXODUS has previously appeared at major gaming events without having a precise launch date.

Now players have a specific day to put on their calendars.

The release also places EXODUS among the major sci-fi RPGs scheduled for 2027.

Salt Is the Star of the New Trailer

The new trailer puts the spotlight on Salt, an Awakened octopus who joins Jun's crew.

That description might sound unusual, but EXODUS' universe is built around a future in which humanity has evolved and changed in extraordinary ways.

Salt is not simply a comic-relief character.

According to Archetype Entertainment, she is a hardened mercenary and bounty hunter who pilots a specialized combat mech. Her combat abilities include long-range sniping, rapid evasive movement and ink-like smoke screens that can confuse and disorient enemies.

Her relationship with Jun appears to be an important part of the story.

Both characters are survivors, but they approach survival differently.

Salt has spent much of her life relying on herself.

Jun, meanwhile, is building a crew while trying to protect humanity's future.

The trailer shows the two characters fighting together despite coming from very different backgrounds.

A New Look at EXODUS' Companion System

Companions are expected to play a major role throughout EXODUS.

Jun will build a crew made up of humans and Awakened animals, with different characters bringing their own abilities, personalities and histories.

That approach gives the game a strong character-driven RPG foundation.

Salt is particularly interesting because she is not simply another human soldier.

Her unusual physiology and combat mech allow Archetype to create a fighting style that would not be possible with a conventional human companion.

This could also make individual companions feel substantially different during combat.

Instead of simply changing damage statistics, each companion can potentially influence how players approach encounters.

Emrys Also Appears

Salt is not the only companion featured in the new material.

The trailer also introduces Emrys, a member of the Deva, an enigmatic Celestial species defined by multiple consciousnesses.

Emrys has a support-oriented role in combat.

According to Archetype, Emrys can launch Remnant Orbs that weaken enemies while transferring stolen power back to Jun for protection.

That gives players another example of how companions can contribute differently during combat.

Salt focuses on mobility, ranged attacks and battlefield disruption, while Emrys provides a more supportive function.

The combination suggests that choosing companions could become an important part of EXODUS' combat strategy.

The Story Is Built Around Time Dilation

One of EXODUS' most distinctive concepts is its use of time dilation.

The game takes place roughly 40,000 years in the future, with humanity spread across space.

Jun Aslan becomes a Traveler who moves through the galaxy while searching for ways to help humanity survive.

The problem is that interstellar travel changes the relationship between the characters and the people they leave behind.

Time can pass very differently for travelers moving at extreme speeds.

As a result, Jun can return from an adventure and discover that much more time has passed for people elsewhere.

That concept is not merely a scientific detail.

It is central to the game's storytelling.

Choices made during the journey can have consequences that continue developing while Jun is away.

This gives EXODUS an interesting foundation for a narrative RPG.

A Sci-Fi RPG With Major BioWare Connections

EXODUS has attracted comparisons to games such as Mass Effect since its original reveal.

That comparison is understandable.

Archetype Entertainment was founded by developers with experience working on major RPG franchises, including BioWare projects.

The game combines third-person action, dialogue, companions, exploration and player choices.

However, EXODUS is building its own universe rather than directly continuing another franchise.

The setting features humanity, Celestials, ancient technology and the mysterious Rot, creating a science-fiction world with its own mythology.

The goal appears to be combining cinematic storytelling with action gameplay.

Jun Aslan's Mission

Players take control of Jun Aslan, a salvager who becomes a Traveler.

Jun's journey is tied to the survival of humanity and the growing threat facing civilization.

The player will travel through the Centauri Cluster while exploring alien environments, discovering ancient technology and confronting hostile forces.

Companions are expected to influence the journey.

Their relationships with Jun can potentially shape how players experience the story, while their individual combat abilities add another strategic layer.

That combination is one of the reasons EXODUS has attracted attention since its announcement.

Choices Will Matter

EXODUS is being designed around player decisions.

The time-dilation system creates an unusual way for choices to produce consequences.

A decision that seems relatively small during one part of Jun's journey could have a much greater impact after he returns from deep-space travel.

This gives the developers room to tell stories about characters changing while Jun is away.

It also means that players may not always immediately understand the full consequences of their decisions.

That type of long-term storytelling could become one of EXODUS' biggest strengths if it is executed well.

The New Trailer Shows More Than a Release Date

Although the biggest announcement is the April 7 launch date, the trailer does more than provide a calendar entry.

It also shows more of EXODUS' combat and companion interactions.

Salt's mech provides a different visual profile from Jun and demonstrates how varied the game's companions can be.

Emrys further expands that idea by introducing another combat role.

The trailer also includes cinematic moments from Salt's history.

Archetype says the footage only provides a small glimpse of her story, with a larger cinematic planned if the game reaches its next wishlist milestone.

EXODUS Has Already Passed 500,000 Wishlists

Archetype has also introduced a wishlist milestone program ahead of launch.

The developer says EXODUS has already surpassed 500,000 wishlists, unlocking the first milestone rewards.

Those rewards include a Celestial Star Map decoration for the in-game apartment, additional concept art and the music track "Elegy for a Forgotten World."

Additional milestones are planned.

One future milestone is tied to Salt's companion story cinematic.

This gives players another reason to wishlist the game before launch.

Confirmed Information

Archetype Entertainment has confirmed:

EXODUS launches April 7, 2027.
The game is being developed by Archetype Entertainment.
PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC are confirmed.
PC versions will be available through Steam and Epic Games Store.
Jun Aslan is the protagonist.
Salt is an Awakened octopus companion.
Salt pilots a specialized combat mech.
Salt specializes in long-range combat, evasive movement and smoke-based disruption.
Emrys is a Deva companion.
Emrys has a support-focused combat role.
The game uses player choices as part of its narrative structure.
Time dilation is a central element of the story.

Rumors and Speculation

Some details surrounding EXODUS remain unconfirmed.

Archetype has not revealed every companion, the complete number of planets or locations, the total campaign length or every gameplay system.

Players should also avoid assuming that EXODUS will function exactly like Mass Effect simply because of the developers' previous experience.

The confirmed information points to a choice-driven sci-fi RPG, but the final structure will only become clear as more gameplay is revealed.

Why EXODUS Could Be One of 2027's Biggest RPGs

The 2027 release calendar is already becoming crowded with major games.

EXODUS has an opportunity to stand out because it combines several familiar RPG concepts with a distinctive science-fiction setting.

Its companion system provides character-driven storytelling.

Its time-dilation mechanic creates unusual narrative possibilities.

Its third-person combat gives the game a more immediate action component.

And its setting allows Archetype to create a universe that is not tied to an existing franchise.

The biggest challenge will be execution.

EXODUS has been in development for years, and expectations have grown with every new trailer.

The game will need to deliver a compelling story while making its combat, exploration and companion systems work together.

What Players Should Watch Next

With the release date now confirmed, future EXODUS updates will likely focus increasingly on gameplay.

Players will want to see more companions, environments, enemies and mission structures before launch.

Additional information about the choice system will also be important.

The developers have already established that decisions and time dilation are central to the experience, but players still need to understand exactly how those mechanics interact.

Salt's upcoming companion story could provide another look at the game's character-driven approach.

Conclusion

EXODUS has finally reached one of the most important milestones in its development.

After being revealed in 2023 and spending years building anticipation, Archetype Entertainment has confirmed that the sci-fi RPG will launch on April 7, 2027.

The Gamescom trailer makes the announcement even more interesting by introducing Salt, an Awakened octopus mercenary who pilots a combat mech and joins Jun Aslan's crew.

Emrys also receives attention, showing that EXODUS' companions will have different abilities and combat roles.

Combined with the game's time-dilation story system, player choices and massive science-fiction setting, EXODUS is shaping up to be one of the more ambitious narrative RPGs arriving in 2027.

The wait is not over yet, but players finally know exactly when the journey begins.