If you have spent time in the extraction shooter genre lately, you know that the “Tarkov with zombies” formula has been tried more than once and rarely nailed. But The Midnight Walkers might be the first game that comes close to making it work.
Developed by Oneway Ticket Studio, this is a hardcore PvPvE (player-versus-player-versus-environment) first-person shooter with zombies. The loop is clear and punishing.
You drop into a map, scavenge what you can, try to survive both undead threats and human ones, and get out. If you die, everything on you is gone. Whether you go in solo or roll with a squad of three, the stakes stay high.
When Can You Play The Midnight Walkers
The Midnight Walkers is set to launch in Steam Early Access on January 29, 2026. Originally it was scheduled for the last quarter of 2025, but the developers delayed it to polish core systems and ensure stable performance. A few extra weeks is a fair trade if it means fewer crashes and more consistent play.
The Early Access phase is expected to last at least six months. The full version could land sometime in the third or fourth quarter of 2026. That depends on how development goes and how much feedback the team gets during early access.
Platforms and Price
The game will launch first on Windows PC. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S versions are planned, but they will not be ready in January.
The current goal is to bring all versions to market by the time the full release happens in late 2026.
Gameplay Loop and Core Design
The game takes place in a massive multi-floor structure called the Liberty Grand Center, when each floor has a theme. There is a hospital, a casino, a shopping mall, and more. The idea is to keep the setting varied and the tension high.
Zombies are a threat, but not the only one. Some are faster and more aggressive, like the Runner types that will chase you down. On top of that, the game features dynamic hazards. Some floors fill with poison gas, forcing players to move using stairs or elevators. That pressure to relocate increases the odds of running into other squads.
Players can choose from four classes. Each one supports a different role:
- Brick is the tank. He wears heavy armor and uses a hammer for close-quarters combat
- Crow is the assassin. She moves fast and uses daggers
- Lockdown is the sniper. He uses a bow and fights at long range
- Bartender is support. He mixes cocktails to heal or buff teammates
These roles encourage team play but can also support different solo builds. Mixing them correctly can give squads a serious edge.
System Requirements for PC
The Midnight Walkers is still in development, so some specs are marked as subject to change. But the current requirements are as follows:
Minimum:
- Operating system: Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit
- Processor: Intel i7 4770 or AMD Ryzen 7 1800X
- Memory: 8 GB of RAM
- Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 580
- Storage: 20 GB available, solid-state drive required
- DirectX: Version 12
Recommended:
- Operating system: Windows 11, 64 bit
- Processor: Intel i7 7700K or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- Memory: 16 gigabytes of RAM
- Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT
The game uses the Anti Cheat Expert system, a kernel-level anti-cheat tool. At launch, it will support interface, audio, and subtitles in 30 languages.
The Midnight Walkers Release Summary
Oneway Ticket Studio has been active on community channels, including Discord and Steam. They have already changed systems like class balance, vendors, and weapon stats based on feedback from early test sessions and Steam Next Fest.
One feature planned for the full release is a social hub called the Locker Room. It will let players hang out, review progress, and gear up between matches. That extra space should help the game feel like more than just a match-based grind.
The Midnight Walkers is not trying to reinvent the genre. It is focusing on tight risk-reward balance, smart map design, and high-pressure decisions. If it nails the finale, it could become one of the rare extraction shooters that keeps players engaged well beyond the first month.