There were plenty of shocking and exciting announcements at this year's Game Awards, though Forest 3 was definitely one that surprised many players. Forest 3 is far from the mood of its predecessors. It's such a different tone that many Game Awards viewers had no idea it actually was one Forest the game until the title card appeared at the end of the trailer. The trailer proved to be one of the awards show's wildest moments, and while it feels very different from previous entries, developer Endnight Games is making the right move.
The forest and its sequels, Sons of the Forestare both survival horror games set in environments defined by isolated wilderness. While the first game takes place on a rural peninsula in Canada, the second game takes place on a mysterious, tree-covered island somewhere near the Pacific Northwest. Forest 3s reveal has already raised many questions about what the threequel might have in store. This time, Endnight Games is taking its survival game to a completely different planet, and while it's a risky change of scenery, it's definitely a risk worth taking.
Forest 3's bold environmental change paves the way for a fresh story
- The forest follows plane crash survivor Eric LeBlanc as he searches for his missing son Timmy, ultimately uncovering the remains of an ancient civilization and a conspiracy surrounding genetic experiments.
- Sons of the Forest follows Jack Holt, a man hired to search for missing CEO Edward Puffton and his family, which once again leads to ancient discoveries and surviving mutants.
While The forest and Sons of the Forest has a loosely intertwined history, there are still more questions than answers right now, especially when it comes to alien artifacts. Between the obelisks i The forest and Sons of the Forest's Golden Cube, which can open different dimensions, the series has already dabbled in the paranormal. Both games have teased an ancient alien race, and Forest 3 opens the doors to potentially reveal more. Sons of the Forests setting dives a little deeper than its predecessor, but not by much. With both games, fans have come up with theories about what the franchise's lore will become, and while many are convincing, Forest 3 offers the opportunity to finally get some real answers.
Forest 3 announcement trailer
Survival Gameplay will be on another level now
Yes, The forest and Sons of the Forest both have mutated creatures, but Forest 3 also alienates them, and that is more terrifying. Beyond the mutants, crash landing on a strange alien planet means players have to learn a whole different ecosystem. Every single part of the game will become an even bigger mystery as players search and scavenge an environment they are completely unfamiliar with. The forest and Sons of the Forest is already challenging enough in a grounded, realistic setting, but there's no telling how much that difficulty will be bumped up with alien creatures and alien, unknown flora and fauna. Forest 3s alien planet takes everything that made its predecessor so outrageous and adds an extra layer to the fight for survival.
Endnight Games has yet to reveal the names of Forest 3s monsters, but there are some revealed in the trailer. Some of these include fish-like creatures, a creepy worm, flying monsters that look like huge bats, a mutated humanoid creature that looks like something out of The Thingand a giant alien octopus.
Forest 3's tone may be different, but the heart of the franchise remains the same
Because of the alien planet, Forest 3The tone is much more sci-fi heavy than the previous entries. Due to the lore of the franchise, there have always been elements of sci-fi, but nothing as in-your-face as Forest 3 promises. The alien planet seems much darker and gloomy in comparison The forest and Sons of the Forests earth-based settings. At the moment, it is not clear how many biomes will be in the game, but the trailer teases an even sadder mood. Open world game like The forest franchise really needs to nail the tone to successfully sell that it feels true to life, and it will be fascinating to see how Endnight Games pulls off that.
Yet, despite the change in tone, it is clear that Forest 3 still keeps the heart of its series intact. Upping the ante on horror and survival only makes sense, and bringing everything together for a third chapter that doesn't just look like a step up in challenge, but a deeper dive into the story, feels right. Immersive horror games are hard to pull off, especially when heavy sci-fi elements are thrown into the mix, but both previous games offer a solid base to build on.
Beyond the mutants, crash landing on a strange alien planet means players have to learn a whole different ecosystem.
The Wait for More Forest 3 starts now
Even if Forest 3 made waves at the 2025 Game Awards, its developers have not revealed any information other than what is given in the trailer. Honestly, it could be a long time before fans get another look at the game, unless Endnight Games is much further ahead than expected. It was five years apart The forest and Sons of the Forestso if Endnight Games sticks to the same timeline, then Forest 3 may not be ready until around 2028.
In the end, it's really hard to say, but it seems highly unlikely for Forest 3 to be in the 2026 game calendar. A 2027 launch window isn't impossible, but 2028 feels like a safer bet for now. Regardless, Forest 3 being official is an exciting and unexpected year-end announcement.
While Forest 3s monsters may not be the cannibal mutants fans are used to, what this third chapter teases is something that could be even more terrifying. The mix of survival and sci-fi horror implied has what it takes to produce a new story that does its predecessors justice while taking its best features to the next level.
