You’ll want to grab anywhere from one to five friends for when a potential co-op hit comes to both Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus day one. The last couple of years have seen a rise in cooperative games, some of the more viral of which have been dubbed “friendslop.” The term has been divisive, since “slop” is usually derogatory, and many contend that the lo-fi art design of games like Lethal Company, R.E.P.O., and PEAK are a large part of the appeal – not to mention their often novel and clever game design.
PEAK is the latest such sensation to play with your friends, selling an astounding five million copies in under a month. July 22 will see the day-one Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus release of another contender: Abiotic Factor. The two subscription services will conceivably give the game a boost upon launch, and make it easier to play with your pals.
Abiotic Factor Could Be Your Next Co-Op Obsession
Described As Co-Op Survival Half-Life
Abiotic Factor comes from developer Deep Field Games, and is published by Playstack. It’s a co-op crafting survival game that supports up to six players, and has already made quite a glowing reputation for itself. It’s been in early access on Steam for a while, where it’s achieved an incredible 96% positive rating from more than 23,000 reviews over its entire lifespan.
It’s often described as co-op Half-Life, and the inspiration is clear. You play as an employee in a research facility that studies all sorts of strange phenomena, “from gravity-distorting artifacts to supernatural creatures with an unbridled instinct for violence,” according to the Steam description. Abiotic Factor takes place after a disastrous breach in containment, letting creatures from other planes of existence into the facility.
After a handful of major updates in early access, Abiotic Factor will receive its 1.0 release on July 22. On release day, it will become available on PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate, as well as being a part of the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for Extra and Premium subscribers.
Co-Op Games Are Having A Moment
Is This A Co-Op Golden Age?
Abiotic Factor has been diligently building toward its full release at a time when co-op games seem more popular than ever. Even outside the so-called “friendslop,” games like Deep Rock Galactic and Helldivers 2 have been going strong, and Hazelight Studios seems to have hit on a winning formula with titles that require exactly two people (shout-out to the Friend’s Pass), such as Split Fiction and It Takes Two.
A defining feature of PEAK, Lethal Company, and R.E.P.O. is the promoted use of proximity chat, which can enhance the organic humor of their situations.
Co-op games have always been in vogue to an extent – everyone loves playing games with their friends – but this new era has been a huge boom for smaller developers. Abiotic Factor already has a lot of momentum behind it with plenty of early access fans, but is poised for a breakout release with its availability on Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus.
Source: Steam
Abiotic Factor
- Released
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July 22, 2025
- ESRB
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Rating Pending
- Developer(s)
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Deep Field Games
- Publisher(s)
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Playstack
- Engine
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Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
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Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Number of Players
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1-6 players
- Steam Deck Compatibility
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Playable
