Killing Floor 3 is bringing us gloriously gory co-op FPS action in 2025, and Tripwire says it's "at its best when you are just barely surviving"

This PC shooting favorite is coming back for another sequel with Killing Floor 3, which has got us totally stoked for its blood-soaked glory. Hordes of abominations seething towards you as you dispatch them in manners not dissimilar to Doom's glory kills is a mouthwatering prospect. But with such great competition around, what is it about this series in particular that keeps us and so many fans coming back for more?

We suggest to Bryan Wynia, studio creative director at Tripwire Interactive, that players come to Killing Floor expecting something very specific with its 5-squad, wave-based survival. So how does the team go about iterating on those recognizable foundations while also offering something new? "One area we focused on early were the enemies. We wanted to bring back some of the classic threats but elevate them to provide players with a new challenge. We gave them new attacks, new abilities, and new ways to navigate to players. For example, the Husk having the ability to use his jet pack to attack flanks really causes you to keep your head on a swivel."

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Squad fall in

Wynia continues: "As zeds and enemies became more challenging, we had to provide the players with new forms of movement, weapon-mods, and a variety of tools to now handle these threats. It also changed how we developed our maps. We are able to think more vertically due to the enhanced zeds and new player movement."

The new forms of movement Wynia is referencing is perhaps most evident in the returning 'Crawler' enemy type, which is no longer restricted to floors and walkways, instead crawling (that's what they do, after all) over walls and ceilings too, often in large numbers. There's plenty of deliciously twisted imagination on show in the horrors that scuttle and lurch towards you, and the game's metal-augmented monstrosities are even more horrific than before.

Wynia explains: "We really want to communicate the difference between a zombie and a zed. The goal was to show players and fans that these are bio-engineered killing machines. Created in a factory or lab with the only goal of killing you! We just revealed the re-imagined Siren. Visually we want her to remind you of the previous design yet show how Horzine [a biotech company responsible for the outbreak and release of these monsters, called 'specimens'] has upgraded her to be this ultimate weapon capable of causing massive destruction and death. The contrast between the pale flesh and cold metal helps create a horrific abomination of science and engineering."

But it isn't just the Siren's new look that's gotten Wynia keen for you to meet her in-game. "I’m really excited for players to hear her as she enters the battle as well, it is pretty intimidating. Our audio team has done an excellent job at creating unique audio elements that help define the character of each zed and build that sense of tension."

So why now? Why not just make another update for Killing Floor 2? Wynia has a simple answer: "Killing Floor has a long history of updates post launch. From exploring new maps to utilizing a variety of new weapons. These updates have given players new experiences and challenges that add to the fun of fighting waves of zeds. After the team worked on a variety of Killing Floor 2 updates as well as Maneater we were excited to explore what the future of Killing Floor could look like. We had a variety of new tools and tech that would allow us to make an even larger and bloodier sequel. We also wanted to explore new experiences, new stories, and expand the world of Killing Floor."

The gameplay footage released so far looks super-satisfying, with every shot drenching the floor in reflective, very wet-looking blood. But its biggest pull is arguably deeper than the violence. Wynia suggests a deeper reason for the series' chokehold on players: "The combination of horror and co-op creates something that players really enjoy. We often talk about Killing Floor being at its best when you are just barely surviving. It causes this sense of tension and excitement so you end up having fun if you have destroyed all the zeds or died a horrible death in the process. It’s similar to a haunted house or roller coaster with this really dramatic pacing."

The game is coming not only to PC but also to Xbox Series consoles and PS5, so look out for more soon. We certainly will.

See what else lies ahead with our roundup of upcoming horror games.