Nightdive Studios, the developer behind remasters of Star Wars: Dark Forces and System Shock 2, have surprise-launched a remaster of 2002 cult-hit The Thing. The upgraded game is available now for PC, Xbox One and Series X/S, PlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch, and to stream through NVIDIA GeForce Now.
Originally developed by Computer Artworks, The Thing is a third-person shooter that acts a direct sequel to John Carpenter’s 1984 film The Thing, following a United States Special Forces team that’s sent into the film’s arctic base to investigate what happened there. Outside the source material, the game is best known for its trust, fear, and infection systems. How you play can impact whether in-game characters trust you, think you’re The Thing or turn into The Thing themselves.
With The Thing Remastered, Nightdive is carrying over the original’s core mechanics and updating the visuals and engine to run on modern consoles. Now you can play in 4K at up to 120 fps, with improved “character models, textures, and animations,” according to Nightdive’s announcement, and “advanced 3D rendering for updated lighting and atmospheric effects.” The game also includes trophies and achievements on PC, PlayStation and Xbox, if you’re looking for that, too.
A remastered version of The Thing was originally announced in June 2024 at IGN Live, the latest in a series of remastered game projects Nightdive Studios has announced in the last few years. The studio was formed in 2012 to make System Shock 2 playable on modern PCs, but has worked on everything from the Turok games to Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition, since then.
The Thing Remastered is available digitally for $29.99 on Steam (where it’s Steam Deck Verified), GOG, the Microsoft Store, the PlayStation Store and the Nintendo eShop.