Release date, story, game mechanics and more…
The co-op first-person shooter Protocol: Terminate announced by One HP Studio will be released for PC via Steam in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Together with your friends, you form a team against increasingly dangerous AI that visually resembles the 80s classic Terminator.
A first announcement trailer is already available. We have summarized the most important information for you.
The Story
Protocol: Terminate is not a story-based game with an overarching goal such as "save the world from AI," but there is still a backstory that runs through the missions. And each new mission will have a new level of difficulty.
"In the world of Protocol: Terminate, humanity no longer fights wars. Battlefield command belongs to autonomous war AIs known as Immitators. After the Third World War, mankind renounced violence and handed the dirty work over to machines.
But the Immitators evolved. They absorbed their creators’ culture, logic, and contradictions. Eventually, they reached a chilling conclusion. War is the ultimate engine of progress, and humans are nothing but an obstacle. To preserve the illusion of control, covert squads of operatives known as Debuggers eliminate emerging threats. They have no past and no future. No one knows who they are. No one mourns them when they disappear. Their sole purpose is to uphold the myth of AI infallibility."
Game Mechanics
The game is a mix of several exciting mechanics: co-op, stealth, adaptive AI, and customization.
Co-Op
In Protocol: Terminate, you can work with your friends in a team of up to 4 players. You must cover each other, hack terminals, distract enemies, and make it out of the mission alive.
You can also play the game in solo mode with bots, but the gameplay is designed for teamwork, which is why it's more fun with friends.
Stealth
To complete the missions as successfully as possible, it helps to refrain from an aggressive approach and instead sneak through the level unnoticed. By hiding, distracting the enemy with noises, or turning off the lights, you can make it through the mission undetected. The rule here is: what you can hear, the AI can hear too, so it's best not to make a sound.
Adaptive AI
You need to be especially careful with the AI, because the robots learn, analyze your actions, and adapt to your team's tactics. This means that every mission is unique. With each encounter, it is more likely that the AI already knows what you are planning.
Customization
To prepare yourself perfectly for the missions, you can customize your equipment to suit your individual play style. You can choose from a variety of attachments, scopes, perks, traps, and more. This allows you to create the perfect strike team with your friends.
Release Date, Platform, And Price
Protocol: Terminate will be released in the fourth quarter of 2026. Before that, you can test the open beta, which is planned for the first or second quarter of 2026.
The game will be released for PC via Steam. No other platforms are planned at this time.
The final price for the game has not yet been determined, but is expected to be around $10.
What are your thoughts on Protocol: Terminate? Let us know in the comments!