Don’t Nod has officially revealed that Amine Bouhafa is composing the soundtrack for its upcoming sci-fi narrative adventure, Aphelion. The announcement was made during the New Game + Showcase, where an exclusive creator-led video highlighted Bouhafa’s approach to crafting the game’s music and his collaboration with the development team.
Bouhafa is a César Award–winning French-Tunisian composer, best known for his work on films such as Timbuktu, The Summit of the Gods, and The Little Sister. Aphelion marks his first foray into video game composition, a milestone he described as a rewarding creative experience.
A Soundtrack That Shapes Persephone
According to Don’t Nod, Bouhafa’s score blends epic scale with intimate emotion, bringing the frozen planet Persephone to life while underscoring the emotional journey of protagonists Ariane and Thomas. His compositions are designed to reflect the planet’s stark beauty, the looming threat of Nemesis, and the personal bonds between the characters.
The behind-the-scenes video explores Bouhafa’s use of distinctive instruments, including the pipe organ and the rare cristal baschet, to evoke a sense of sacredness and isolation. These elements help reinforce Persephone’s otherworldly identity and the emotional weight of the narrative.
Creative Team Shares Their Praise
Florent Guillaume, Creative Director on Aphelion, shared high praise for the collaboration, noting that the team was immediately drawn to Bouhafa’s ability to capture character intimacy within grand, sweeping adventures. Guillaume emphasized Bouhafa’s emotional intelligence and humanity, expressing hope that players will feel a deep emotional connection through the game’s music.
PS5 Physical Edition Confirmed
Alongside the composer announcement, Don’t Nod also confirmed a partnership with Maximum Entertainment to release a physical PlayStation 5 retail edition of Aphelion. Pre-orders are now open at participating retailers across North America, Europe, and Australia, giving physical media collectors a chance to secure a boxed copy ahead of launch.
Launch Plans
Aphelion is scheduled to release in 2026 for PC (Steam), Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. The game will support Xbox Play Anywhere and will be available day one on Game Pass, making it accessible across multiple platforms at launch.
With a celebrated composer on board and physical editions now confirmed, Aphelion continues to position itself as one of Don’t Nod’s most ambitious narrative projects to date.
