Byte Barrel, the studio behind the Forgive Me Father series, has officially revealed Dioxide, a new tactical first-person shooter with soulslike elements. The game debuted at the MIX Summer Showcase 2026 and is currently in development for PC. A playable demo is scheduled to arrive in Q3 2026.
Fight Back Against a Corporate Dystopia
Set in a post-apocalyptic future consumed by industrial decay, Dioxide places players in a world where people have become little more than disposable assets for a powerful corporation. After acquiring the Core-ID administrator module, the protagonist gains the ability to return from death, immediately becoming a target of the system they once served.
As one of the few capable of resisting corporate control, players must build a hidden sanctuary for the remaining survivors while taking the fight to the forces maintaining the status quo.
Tactical Combat and Deep Customization
The game combines tactical gunplay with progression systems inspired by soulslike games. Players can assemble and modify a variety of firearms using a modular attachment system that supports different combat styles and strategies.
Throughout the campaign, players will battle relentless enemies mass-produced by the corporation to eliminate dissent. Exploration will take them through a sprawling metropolis that includes polluted production facilities, toxic underground districts, and heavily fortified upper-class sectors. Each area contains new threats as well as resources needed for survival.
Build a Sanctuary for Humanity
Outside of combat, Dioxide features a sanctuary management system where players develop a refuge for humanity’s survivors. Decisions made while managing resources and supporting the community can influence how the sanctuary grows over time. Players will face difficult choices about how far they are willing to go to keep their people alive.
A New Direction for Byte Barrel
While Byte Barrel is best known for the comic-book visuals of the Forgive Me Father games, Dioxide shifts the studio toward a fully 3D presentation while retaining its signature graphic style. According to CEO Ernest Krystian, the team is using the new setting to create a darker and more immersive vision of a society on the brink of collapse.
Dioxide is currently in development for PC and can be wishlist on Steam ahead of its planned demo release later this year.
