Serious Sam: The Third Encounter Revealed by Croteam [Confirmed]

Serious Sam: The Third Encounter is officially entering active pre-production under developer Croteam and publisher Devolver Digital, reviving the legendary arcade first-person shooter franchise nearly twenty-five years after its iconic 2001 and 2002 predecessors set high-water marks for arena horde combat. According to verified reports from PC Gamer, the studio surprised shooter fans by revealing that a direct narrative sequel to the original Encounter duology is currently underway. Despite being marketed as the third 'Encounter' chapter, the title represents the seventh mainline release in the notoriously convoluted franchise timeline, following Serious Sam 2, Serious Sam 3: BFE, Serious Sam 4, and 2022's Siberian Mayhem. While industry headlines recently mourned studio restructuring elsewhere—such as when [EA Shuts Down BioWare: Next Mass Effect Cancelled [Confirmed]](/news/ea-shuts-down-bioware-mass-effect-cancelled)—Croteam remains dedicated to its proprietary engine tech and signature bullet-hell shooting format. Early development documentation indicates Sam 'Serious' Stone will once again battle Mental's intergalactic invasion across vast historical biomes, restoring the stripped-down, relentless circular-strafing formula that popularized early-2000s PC gaming.