Indie developer House 16 Software has officially unveiled its debut title, ORMOD: Directive, a harsh open-world survival sandbox set to challenge players when it arrives on Steam in early 2026. This machine-infested experience blends classic survival mechanics with deep automation, base-building, and realistic combat, offering a post-apocalyptic world that is both relentless and infinitely replayable.
ORMOD: Directive introduces a unique sandbox environment where no two worlds are the same. Every playthrough generates a fully customizable and endless world, including the procedural placement of towns, roads, and key landmarks, allowing players to tailor their experience for preferred difficulty and playstyle. The world is persistent and dynamic, continuing to evolve even when the player is offline, with every action—be it diplomacy, stealth, or brute force—having a tangible impact on survival.
Ingenuity is key to navigating this unforgiving landscape. Players must scavenge, build, and battle against the spreading ORMOD machine threat and the elements. A core feature is the Physical and Persistent Item Simulation, meaning every item exists physically and stays exactly where it is left, leading to opportunities for looting, theft, and stumbling upon the aftermath of other players' adventures.
The game also emphasizes creation and defense. A unique Tile-Based Building System allows players to construct and fortify bases, which must then be defended against machines or rival players. Furthermore, players can build complex production lines and Mega-Factories to automate every resource, manufacturing everything from supplies to weapons. Combat is grounded and skill-based, featuring leaning, advanced weapon modification, and realistic physics, including penetration and armor simulation.
With support for private sessions and persistent 24/7 community servers across multiple modes (PvP, PvE, Hardcore, Creative), ORMOD: Directive invites players to adapt and survive in a deeply systems-driven world. Wishlist the game now on Steam to follow development updates ahead of its early 2026 launch.
