Nikita Buyanov, the founder of Battlestate Games and the driving force behind Escape from Tarkov, has unveiled his next project. COR3 is a first-person sci-fi shooter set more than two centuries in the future, and its debut trailer paints a grim picture of humanity's expansion into space gone catastrophically wrong.
COR3 takes place on a ruined Mars
The reveal trailer opens from a soldier's perspective inside what appears to be the destroyed remnants of a city called Mariner City. The camera slowly pulls back to reveal a technologically advanced civilization on Mars, now reduced to rubble. The planet's orbit is littered with wrecked spacecraft and the bodies of cosmonauts drifting through the void. A surviving space station hangs in the distance, seemingly positioned to investigate whatever disaster befell the colony.
The spacesuits worn by the floating bodies bear red star insignias, suggesting Russian origins and potentially connecting COR3 to the same universe or thematic DNA as Escape from Tarkov. The weapon visible in the brief first-person segment is manufactured by "Kalash Corp," another nod to Russian military aesthetics.
The year is 2251, and "The Core" is trying to save humanity
An interactive website launched alongside the trailer provides backstory for the game's setting. COR3 takes place in 2251, following a period where humanity apparently came close to total annihilation. A group called The Core claims to have "reversed mutual total destruction" and is now focused on reviving human civilization while working to unite the world's governments.
The website features interactive elements and lore fragments that players can explore after signing up with an email address. These details flesh out the post-apocalyptic scenario hinted at in the trailer, though the exact nature of the catastrophe remains mysterious.
Gameplay details remain scarce
The trailer offers almost nothing in terms of actual gameplay. The brief first-person segment at the opening suggests COR3 will be an FPS, which aligns with Buyanov's experience developing Escape from Tarkov. The character movement and weapon handling in that snippet look reminiscent of Tarkov's distinctive feel, though it's far too early to draw meaningful comparisons.
No release date, platforms, or specific gameplay mechanics have been announced. The trailer's internal filename — PRJRPNT_BLUEMARS_FO — has sparked speculation about a possible alternate title like "Project Repent: Blue Mars," but nothing has been confirmed.
Buyanov's connection to the project
Nikita Buyanov founded Battlestate Games in 2012 and has served as both COO and game director for Escape from Tarkov throughout its decade-plus development. He also composed much of Tarkov's soundtrack. The extraction shooter finally received its full 1.0 release in late 2025 after years in early access.
COR3 appears to be released under the banner of "COR3CORP" rather than Battlestate Games directly, though Buyanov's involvement is clear from the marketing. The exact relationship between the two entities hasn't been publicly clarified. Some community members have noted that the project was previously pitched to investors as a crypto or web3 venture, though whether those elements remain part of the current vision is unknown.
Battlestate Games continues supporting Tarkov
The COR3 announcement arrives while Escape from Tarkov remains actively developed. Battlestate Games has confirmed plans for 2026 that include new maps and mechanical additions like the ability to shoot locks off doors. The studio also recently announced its first official crossover event, partnering with the parody game Escape from Duckov.
Whether COR3's development will affect Tarkov's ongoing support remains to be seen. Battlestate has grown significantly since Tarkov's early days, potentially allowing the studio to pursue multiple projects simultaneously.
COR3 represents a significant departure from the grounded military realism of Escape from Tarkov, trading Russian conflict zones for Martian colonies and near-future geopolitics for far-future catastrophe. The reveal has generated considerable interest among Tarkov fans curious to see what Buyanov's team can accomplish with a fresh setting and presumably a cleaner technical foundation. For now, the interactive website and that single haunting trailer are all we have to go on.
