Considering there hasn't been a decent movie in the Alien franchise since 1986, it's amazing that it's so enduring in both filmic and gaming form. That continues to be the case today as we hear tell that a new Alien game is in the works, called Blackout.
Alien games, much like the films have been rather hit and miss. They've been around since the 1980s in one guise or another and run the gamut of quality and genres, from PacMan clones, to survival horror, to action run and guns. The most successful game of recent memory though, was Alien: Isolation, which favored the survival elements of the original Alien movie rather than the more action-orientated shooter setting of the sequel.
With that in mind, it seems likely that any future entries -- at least in the near future -- would look to emulate and build upon that formula. With a new trademark from 20th Century Fox for a "game software," called "Alien: Blackout" that sounds about right.
We know very little about the game at this point. Beyond the name, we know that there has been some suggestion of online elements, but that could be as simple as digital distribution or patching and doesn't necessarily relate to some form of online component (thanks Kotaku).
The one thing nobody wants to see though, is Gearbox anywhere near this thing. That company developed the abysmal Colonial Marines, which fell so flat that it almost killed the franchise outright. Alien: Isolation was a surprise release from strategy-buff, Creative Assembly. It saved the Alien universe for another day and hopefully will inspire whatever Blackout becomes in the future.
Image source: DerSchmu/YouTube
