Team17 has announced the return of its iconic Worms franchise with not one, but two new games currently in development at Absolutely Games, the studio behind Classified: France ’44. The first is Worms Galactic Tactics, a new tactical roguelike that combines the series’ familiar turn-based combat and destructible environments with a fresh sci-fi setting. A second game simply titled Worms is also in development and will offer an updated take on the classic Worms experience.
Worms Galactic Tactics is currently scheduled to launch on PC and consoles in 2027. The game takes players to the Galactic Gauntlet, a brutal competition held in honour of the egotistical intergalactic ruler Emperor Flugg. Players will assemble and develop a squad of three worms, with each member equipped with their own unique loadout of the series’ famously ridiculous weaponry.
That arsenal includes familiar Worms favourites alongside suitably absurd additions, with exploding sheep, Cosmic Donkeys and holy hand grenades among the weapons players can unleash during battle. As expected, the combination of destructive environments and over-the-top weapons is designed to create plenty of opportunities for chaotic encounters.
The tactical gameplay will also incorporate roguelike elements, with players acquiring new offensive and defensive modifications for their weapons and utilities as they progress through each run. These upgrades can make a significant difference in subsequent battles, with mods ranging from the common Power Stripper, which causes critical hits to shred enemy armour, to the much rarer Hot Rocket, which can set the terrain ablaze.
These modifications will be an important part of surviving the game’s escalating skirmishes as players work their way through the Galactic Gauntlet and ultimately attempt to take down Emperor Flugg. The combination of randomised runs, weapon modifications and permanent upgrades is intended to give Worms Galactic Tactics a greater emphasis on strategy and replayability than previous entries.
Despite the new roguelike structure, Worms Galactic Tactics remains firmly rooted in what has made the franchise so popular for more than three decades. The destructible battlefields, turn-based combat, ridiculous weapons and slapstick humour are all present, while the new systems give both newcomers and longtime fans another reason to return to the series.
Alongside Worms Galactic Tactics, Absolutely Games is also working on a new game simply titled Worms. Team17 says the project will provide an updated take on the classic Worms experience, although further details have yet to be revealed.
With two new games now in development, Team17 is bringing the Worms franchise back into the spotlight while giving the series room to explore both its classic gameplay and new ideas. More information on the untitled Worms project is expected to be revealed in the future, while Worms Galactic Tactics is set to arrive in 2027.